Serum selenium and the risk of cervical cancer among women in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between serum selenium and cervical cancer.


METHODS
We conducted a case-control study of cervical cancer in five areas around Birmingham, AL; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; Miami, FL; and Philadelphia, PA. Community controls were selected by random-digit dialing and were matched to invasive cervical cancer cases by age, race/ethnicity, and telephone exchange. Serum selenium was determined by neutron activation analysis. Logistic regression analysis controlling for known risk factors of cervical cancer, including human papillomavirus (HPV) type-16 measured serologically, was performed on 227 invasive cases, 127 in-situ cases, and 526 controls.


RESULTS
Values of serum selenium ranged from 67.5 to 185.0 ng/ml. Adjusted odds ratios for invasive cervical cancer by quintile were: 1.0 (highest selenium), 1.1, 1.0, 0.8, and 1.0 (lowest selenium), p for trend = 0.82. Similar patterns were observed for Stage I invasive, and Stages II-IV invasive cases, suggesting severity of disease did not influence the null results. Although no associations were seen among current or never smokers, a protective effect of selenium was suggested among former smokers. Effect modification was not evident for other variables examined.


CONCLUSIONS
This study does not support a relationship between serum selenium and invasive cervical cancer at typical serum selenium levels in the US.
National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Applied Research Program, Risk Factor Monitoring and Methods Branch, EPN 4016, 6130 Executive Blvd, MSC 7344, Bethesda, MD 20892-7344, USA.
Frances E
FE
Thompson
Blossom H
BH
Patterson
Stephanie J
SJ
Weinstein
Mary
M
McAdams
Vickie L
VL
Spate
Richard F
RF
Hamman
Robert S
RS
Levine
Katherine
K
Mallin
Paul D
PD
Stolley
Louise A
LA
Brinton
J Steven
JS
Morris
Regina G
RG
Ziegler
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
D000975:Antioxidants; D012643:Selenium