Korean J Urol.  2006 Feb;47(2):150-153. 10.4111/kju.2006.47.2.150.

The Serum Selenium Level in Korean Men and Its Association with Age and Prostate Cancer

• Song SH
• Song K
• Lee SB
• Kim CS

• KMID: 2294193
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4111/kju.2006.47.2.150

Abstract

PURPOSE: It has been suggested that selenium is protective against prostate cancer. We examined serum level of selenium in Korean men and we investigated the association of the serum selenium level with age and prostate cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 390 Korean men (112 cases that were pathologically diagnosed as prostate cancer and 278 controls with normal digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level less than 4.0ng/ml). The serum selenium concentration was compared between the prostate cancer patients and the control group, and the association with the age range and cancer stage was investigated.
RESULTS
The mean serum selenium level of the prostate cancer patients was 110.2ng/ml and mean serum selenium level of control group was 116.8ng/ml. The selenium level of the prostate cancer patients was lower than that of the control group, but there was no significant difference (p= 0.250). There was no association between the selenium level and age (fifth decade: 116.5ng/ml, sixth decade: 113.9ng/ml, seventh decade: 118.5ng/ ml, eighth decade: 111.4ng/ml, p=0.589). In addition, selenium concentration was not associated with stage of prostate cancer (localized: 102.8ng/ ml, locally advanced: 118.0ng/ml, metastatic: 109.0ng/ml, p=0.578).
CONCLUSIONS
The mean serum selenium level of Korean men is lower than that of western men (126-136ng/ml). This result may be associated with the lower selenium content in Korean soil and food. There was no consistent change in the serum selenium level according to age. The association between the serum selenium and the risk of prostate cancer needs further investigation.

Keyword

Selenium; Korea; Prostate cancer

MeSH Terms

Digital Rectal Examination
Humans
Korea
Male
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1
Prostate*
Prostate-Specific Antigen
Prostatic Neoplasms*
Selenium*
Soil
Prostate-Specific Antigen
Selenium
Soil

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