Re: Re: Selenium and Prostate Cancer

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi All,

>

> But, CRers generally have low PSA levels and would therefore receive

> no benefit for the prevention of prostate cancer by selenium

> supplementation, I believe.

>

> Cheers, Al Pater.

Some of the most aggressive prostate cancers are presaged by a

low PSA.

Here's a project: find evidence that CR confers protection against

prostate cancer.

Maybe selenium isn't such a bad idea afterall?

Al

[Guest guest]

Since CR isn't even proven to extend life in humans you are pretty much

proposing a low probability search.

Yes, selenium is useful (against cancer) and as has been discussed before,

the content in foods varies with the selenium in the soil. So if you worry

about the big C, and we all should (we will all die from something), you

might consider supplementation if you are not getting more then a few tens

of micrograms daily from your diet. I recall a symptom of consuming too much

selenium is discolored fingernails and some negative nervous system

interactions.

Some is good... too much is bad.... just right is hard to know.

JR

PS: Is anybody else bored by all the obesity research cited...? What does

that have to do with us, pursuing energy restricted diets. Life is not

linear.

-----Original Message-----

From: Al Young [mailto:acyoung@...]

Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 11:16 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Selenium and Prostate Cancer

>

> Hi All,

>

> But, CRers generally have low PSA levels and would therefore receive

> no benefit for the prevention of prostate cancer by selenium

> supplementation, I believe.

>

> Cheers, Al Pater.

Some of the most aggressive prostate cancers are presaged by a

low PSA.

Here's a project: find evidence that CR confers protection against

prostate cancer.

Maybe selenium isn't such a bad idea afterall?

Al

[Guest guest]

If you ssume that PSA has something to do with PCa. The studies that use PSA as a measure of efficacy are flawed.

This study is carefully worded to relate selenium with PCa.

For prevention: "They conclude that selenium is perhaps not too effective in preventing the initiation of prostate cancer, but that it is highly effective in slowing down tumor progression."

The other piece of info is to realize that PCa means you've had a positive biopsy. If you haven't had a biopsy you may have a carcinoma, in fact, even if you've had a negative biopsy, doesn't mean you don't have a carcinoma in there somewhere, since the prevalence is high in 70 yo autopsies.

I conclude I need the selenium, 200 mg. (since I intend to live past 90yo).

And I throw out any study that uses the words "cost effective".

Regards.

----- Original Message -----

From: old542000

Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 8:07 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: Selenium and Prostate Cancer

Hi All,But, CRers generally have low PSA levels and would therefore receive no benefit for the prevention of prostate cancer by selenium supplementation, I believe.Cheers, Al Pater.> > Hi folks:> > Not sure if this has been posted before or not. But just in case:> > "Selenium and prostate cancer risk> > BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. At least five major clinical trials have > concluded that higher levels of selenium (in blood or toenail > clippings) are associated with a sharply reduced risk of prostate > cancer. The Nutritional Prevention of Cancer (NPC) trial found that > supplementing with 200 micrograms/day of selenium cuts prostate > cancer risk in half. Researchers at the Harvard Medical School now > weigh in with another study confirming the beneficial effects of > selenium. Their study involved 22,000 healthy, male physicians who > were enrolled in the study in 1982 and had blood samples taken at > that time. Sufficient samples to analyze for selenium content and PSA > level were available for 586 men diagnosed with prostate cancer as > well as for 577 controls matched for age and smoking status. > > After 13 years of follow-up the researchers concluded that study > participants with a plasma selenium level of 0.12-0.19 ppm had a 50% > lower incidence of advanced prostate cancer than did men with a level > of 0.06-0.09 ppm. The correlation was only apparent in men with a PSA > level of more than 4 ng/mL and was particularly strong for those with > a baseline (1982) PSA level greater than 10 ng/mL. For these men a > high selenium level corresponded to a 70% decrease in the risk of > advanced prostate cancer. The researchers also observed a trend for a > lower incidence of localized prostate cancer with high selenium > levels, but this trend was not statistically significant. They > conclude that selenium is perhaps not too effective in preventing the > initiation of prostate cancer, but that it is highly effective in > slowing down tumor progression. They believe that selenium acts by > selectively killing off cells whose DNA has been extensively damaged, > by inhibiting cellular proliferation, and by its role as a key > component of glutathione peroxidase, which protects cells from > peroxide damage.> > Li, H, et al. A prospective study of plasma selenium levels and > prostate cancer risk. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. > 96, May 5, 2004, pp. 696-703> , PR, et al. Science peels the onion of selenium effects on > prostate carcinogenesis. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, > Vol. 96, May 5, 2004, pp. 645-47 (editorial)> > Editor's comment: The evidence is now indeed overwhelming that > selenium helps protect against prostate cancer. While this study > concluded that the protection mainly involves slowing down tumor > progression, other studies have shown that selenium also helps > prevent initiation of the cancer. Thus daily supplementation with 200 > micrograms of selenium should be an integral part of all > supplementation programs for men."> > Rodney.

[Guest guest]

Hi Rodney. It's good to hear that CR may offer protection against

prostate cancer death in mice.

But that study doesn't say much about humans getting prostate

cancer in the 1st place, and it certainly isn't an argument against the

wisdom of getting sufficient selenium in the diet (I know you weren't

suggesting that, but Al P was in the original posting).

Thanks for the reference, it gives me additional hope that I may avoid

PCa, or, at least, its worst outcome.

Al

> Hi Al:

>

> " The investigators examined the effects of whole tomato powder,

> lycopene, and 20 percent caloric restriction on prostate cancer

> deaths. In this model, most rats given a combination of a chemical (a

> nitrosourea) plus testosterone develop prostate cancer within one

> year. During a followup period of one and one-half years, 80 percent

> of the untreated rats died from prostate cancer as compared to 62

> percent of those given the tomato powder in their diet, a 23 percent

> statistically significant reduction. Those on a calorie-restricted

> diet had a similar reduction in prostate cancer deaths. "

>

> http://healthfullife.umdnj.edu/archives/prostate_archive.htm

>

> (Source: New Jersey Medical School)

>

> Rodney.

>

>

>

>>

>> Here's a project: find evidence that CR confers protection against

>> prostate cancer.

[Guest guest]

The best way to know (actually get better data), is with a biopsy. A PSA over 4 will justify it, but Urol's may want to take a "watch and stare (ha)" approach. But I don't they have a sure method yet to identify PCa, certainly a PSA lower then 4 is not protective. Since we're trying to get past 80 into the 90 - 100, I must hope they'll find a better process.

I just hate that: "You'll die of something else first" BS.

Regards.

----- Original Message -----

From: Al Young

Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2004 9:25 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Selenium and Prostate Cancer

Hi Rodney. It's good to hear that CR may offer protection againstprostate cancer death in mice. But that study doesn't say much about humans getting prostatecancer in the 1st place, and it certainly isn't an argument against thewisdom of getting sufficient selenium in the diet (I know you weren'tsuggesting that, but Al P was in the original posting).Thanks for the reference, it gives me additional hope that I may avoidPCa, or, at least, its worst outcome.Al > Hi Al:> > "The investigators examined the effects of whole tomato powder, > lycopene, and 20 percent caloric restriction on prostate cancer > deaths. In this model, most rats given a combination of a chemical (a > nitrosourea) plus testosterone develop prostate cancer within one > year. During a followup period of one and one-half years, 80 percent > of the untreated rats died from prostate cancer as compared to 62 > percent of those given the tomato powder in their diet, a 23 percent > statistically significant reduction. Those on a calorie-restricted > diet had a similar reduction in prostate cancer deaths."> > http://healthfullife.umdnj.edu/archives/prostate_archive.htm> > (Source: New Jersey Medical School)> > Rodney.