title: Selenoprotein levels in patients with colorectal adenomas and cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Selenium is a trace mineral that, as a constituent of certain selenoproteins, acts as an antioxidant. Results of studies addressing a cancer protective effect of selenium have been controversial. The present study measured selenoprotein-P, extracellular glutathione peroxidase, and plasma selenium in patients with colon cancer and adenomatous colon polyps to determine whether patients who develop colorectal adenomas or cancer are selenium deficient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who presented to an endoscopy center for colonoscopy or who were referred to our institution with a newly diagnosed colorectal cancer were offered enrollment in the trial. Each patient underwent phlebotomy, usually immediately after colonoscopy. In all, 103 patients were enrolled in the study. Of these, 33 patients were found to have colorectal cancer, 35 adenomatous colon polyps, and 17 normal examinations. A total of 18 patients had other diagnoses and were not included in the study group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age for the colorectal cancer group was 69 yr, for the adenomatous colon polyp group 62 yr, and for the normal group was 56 yr. The adenomatous colon polyp and normal groups were predominantly female. Based on one way analysis of variance tests, there was no significant difference in selenoprotein-P or plasma selenium levels or extracellular glutathione peroxidase activity among the three groups (p = 0.28, 0.098, and 0.35 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present data suggest that patients with adenomatous colon polyps and those with colorectal cancer are not selenium deficient.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: Dayna S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Early
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burk
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency; D051149:Selenoprotein P; D051140:Selenoproteins
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001798:Blood Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D051149:Selenoprotein P; D051140:Selenoproteins; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D012643:Selenium