The Role of Selenium Compounds in Cancer Therapy
Experimental evidence is presented that demonstrates the impact of selenium on the effects of a variety of anticancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation. Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase can detoxify organic peroxides resulting from some of these treatments. Selenium deficiency has also been associated with significant changes in liver enzymes that activate some drugs and contribute to detoxification. Some forms of free selenium have cytotoxicity against a variety of tumor cell lines, both murine and human. Experimental data suggest that catalytic oxidation of cellular glutathione and reduction of molecular oxygen are part of the mechanism of this antitumor activity. This provides provocative possibilities for the inclusion of selenium into cancer therapy regimens.