title: Serum levels of selenium in patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer before and after radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was to evaluate the influence of radiotherapy on the selenium serum levels of non-small cell cancer patients with brain metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 95 non-small cell cancer patients with brain metastases treated by radiotherapy from December 2007 until November 2010. Plasma selenium levels were determined before and at the end of the radiotherapy. Age, body mass index (BMI), prior chemotherapy, pathological type and personal habits (smoking and alcoholism) were recorded for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 63 years; the mean BMI was 27.6. Seventy-six patients (80%) were non-smokers. Sixty-two patients (65.3%) showed no drinking habits and 8 (8.4%) have no prior chemotherapy. Thirty-nine patients (41.1%) were adenocarcinoma, 51 (53.7%) were squamous cell carcinoma and five (5.3%) were large cell carcinoma. At the beginning of radiotherapy, the mean selenium level for all patients was 90.4 μg/l and after radiation this value dropped to 56.3 μg/l. Multivariate analysis showed statistically significant difference in the plasma selenium concentration before and after radiotherapy for age (P<0.001), BMI (P<0.001), smoking (P<0.001), alcoholism (P<0.001), prior chemotherapy (P<0.001) and pathological type (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant reduction in plasma levels of selenium was recorded in patients undergoing radiotherapy, suggesting attention to the nutritional status of this micronutrient and other antioxidant agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China. wellyy2005@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Z G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: W Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: X Y
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: X Y
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Q Y
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012643:Selenium