A preliminary report on the intervention trials of primary liver cancer in high-risk populations with nutritional supplementation of selenium in China

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of selenium (Se) in the prevention of human primary liver cancer. Three intervention trials were conducted among the residents at high risk to primary liver cancer (PLC) in Qidong county, Jiang-su province, the People's Republic of China. This area has the second highest rate of PLC in China. One trial was undertaken among the general population in a township with supplement of table salt fortified with 15 ppm anhydrous sodium selenite (Se-salt) for 5 y and the other four townships with similar PLC incidence rate served as the controls using normal table salt. The second trial was undertaken among hepatitis B virus surface antigen carriers (HBVsAg+) receiving supplement of 200 micrograms Se in form of selenized yeast (Se-yeast) daily vs placebo for 4 y. The third trial was carried out in members of families with high PLC incidence using Se-yeast (200 micrograms of Se daily) vs placebo for 2 y. The results showed that nutritional supplement of Se could reduce the PLC incidence significantly.

Risk Factors of Hepatocellular Carcinoma - Current Status and Perspectives

“…Sharp et al reported a reduced risk of HCC in Japanese atomic bomb survivors with frequent soya food consumption (Sharp et al, 2005). The relation between some nutrients intake and HCC risk were investigated, among which favorable effect were reported including flavonoid (Lagiou et al, 2008), β-carotene (Polesel et al, 2007), retinoids (Yuan et al, 2006), selenium (Yu et al, 1991), etc.…”

National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement: Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements and Chronic Disease Prevention

“…In 2 Chinese trials, selenium decreased liver cancer incidence in patients at high risk because of either a family history of liver cancer or hepatitis B exposure status (20). The reports of these trials, however, lack many important details.…”

Untitled

“…Chemoprevention trials have been carried out in regions of China with a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma due to high incidence of hepatitis B combined with high aflatoxin contamination of food. The incidence of cancer was decreased by 35% in selenium-salt-supplemented group (346). However, because the health and environmental insults are radically different in China compared with those in the westernized world, the conclusions from this trial cannot be interpreted as universal.…”