title: Selenium supplementation in radiotherapy patients: do we need to measure selenium levels in serum or blood regularly prior radiotherapy?
abstract: Considering the review by Puspitasari and colleagues, an additional discussion of the endpoints of the Se supplementation studies described would be helpful. In our view, selenium can safely be given to selenium-deficient cancer patients prior to and during radiotherapy. Therefore, in order to help the radiation oncologist in decision making, we strongly advocate to determine the selenium status prior to and during a potential adjuvant selenium supplementation, e.g. when trying to ease the side-effects of radiation treatment or in the aftercare situation when the selenium status may become insufficient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Lippe Hospital Lemgo, Rintelner Str. 85, D-32657, Lemgo, Germany. ralph.muecke@klinikum-lippe.de.|Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. ralph.muecke@klinikum-lippe.de.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muecke
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Franziskus Hospital, Bielefeld, Germany. strahlenklinik@web.de.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Micke
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Charité Berlin, Germany. lutz.schomburg@charite.de.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schomburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Anna Hospital, Herne, Germany. kisters@annahospital.de.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kisters
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Südharz Hospital, Nordhausen, Germany. jens.buentzel@shk-ndh.de.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buentzel
authors.affiliation: Working Group Integrative Oncology, German Cancer Society, Berlin, Germany. Huebner@med.uni-frankfurt.de.
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huebner
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Münster University Hospital, Münster, Germany. jan.kriz@ukmuenster.de.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kriz
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012643:Selenium / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D012643:Selenium