According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed yearly in the United States. A lack of selenium has been associated with increased cancer risk, but more research needs to be performed. If you have skin cancer, talk with your oncologist about whether it is safe and appropriate for you to consume selenium supplements before taking them.
Selenium
Although selenium is an essential mineral for health, you only have small amounts of it in your body. This mineral may help with immune system functioning and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, although study results are mixed, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Selenium is an antioxidant, which means it may help protect cells against oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Cell damage from free radicals may increase the risk of certain illnesses, including cancer.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and there are many different types of skin cancer. Actinic keratosis is the most prevalent precancer and basal cell carcinoma is the most diagnosed skin cancer, but there are also squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, states The Skin Cancer Foundation. While melanoma is less commonly diagnosed than the other types of skin cancers, it is responsible for more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths, says the Foundation. Treatment depends on the type and extent of the skin cancer, and can include excisional surgery, freezing, laser therapy, chemotherapy or radiation. Talk with your doctor about your risk factors for developing skin cancer, and ways you can decrease your risk.
Selenium and Cancer
A 2011 study in "The Science of the Total Environment" found that patients with skin cancer had lower levels of selenium than those without skin cancer, which is consistent with other studies linking a lower level of this mineral with cancer. Conversely, another 2011 study, this one in the "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews," found that even though there was an inverse relationship between selenium and several different kinds of cancers, there was no relationship between selenium supplementation and non-melanoma skin cancer. The data that was found regarding selenium and other cancers is not strong enough to recommend selenium supplementation as a risk-reduction tool. Selenium may help suppress the growth of melanoma cancer cells in mice, according to a 2009 study in "Immune Network." More research needs to be done on this mineral's effect on skin cancer cells to definitively recommend it as a supplement.
Considerations
Do not take selenium supplements without first talking with your health-care provider. She can help you find an appropriate dose, as taking too much of this mineral can cause adverse side effects, including loss of fingernails and fatigue. It may also interact with medications, so tell your doctor about any other supplements or drugs you are taking. This mineral can interfere with chemotherapy; talk with your oncologist about whether it is safe to take selenium during your treatment.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Selenium; Dr. Steven Ehrlich; May 2009
- The Skin Cancer Foundation; Skin Cancer Facts; Drs. David Polsky and Steven Wang; 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Skin Cancer: Treatments and Drugs; Mayo Clinic Staff; August 2010
- "The Science of the Total Environment"; Evaluation of Selenium in Biological Sample of Arsenic Exposed Female Skin Lesions and Skin Cancer Patients with Related to Non-Exposed Skin Cancer Patients; NF Kolachi et al; 2011
- "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews"; Selenium for Preventing Cancer; G Dennert et al; 2011
- "Immune Network"; Selenium Inhibits Metastasis of Murine Melanoma Cells Through the Induction of Cell Cycle Arrest and Cell Death; H Song et al; 2009
