May 20, 2010 -
Tanning Beds Increase Risk of Developing Melanoma Four Fold Tanning beds are popular devices used by millions of adults across North America for esthetic purposes. This population based case controlled study was able to show a massive increase in risk (4 fold) for those individuals who were regular users of these devices. The risk increased with increasing years of use. We should be considering these devices as carcinogens and warnings should be required to be posted in businesses who sell these tanning treatments. read more...
Metastatic Multiple Myeloma is a challenging disease to treat with poor survival even with chemotherapy treatment. Thymosin alpha 1 is an isolated peptide extract from calves thymus that has immunomodulatory properties particularly in T cells. In this study it was shown that Thymosin alpha 1 in combination with decarbazine increased overall survival and reducd diseases progression.
Moderate selenium supplementation during radiation therapy in patients undergoing radiation therapy for cervical or uterine cancer is effective in reducing the number of episodes and severity of radiation induced diarrhea.
Selenium Status and Radiation Therapy Related Side Effects
Take Home Message: Moderate selenium supplementation during radiation therapy in patients undergoing radiation therapy for cervical or uterine cancer is effective in reducing the number of episodes and severity of radiation induced diarrhea.
Multicenter, Phase 3 Trial Comparing Selenium Supplementation With Observation in Gynecologic Radiation Oncologyon behalf of the German Working Group Trace Elements and Electrolytes in Oncology
Ralph Muecke, M.D.∗, Lutz Schomburg, Ph.D., Michael Glatzel, M.D., Regina Berndt-Skorka, M.D., Dieter Baaske, M.D., Berthold Reichl, Ph.D., Jens Buentzel, M.D., Guenter Kundt, Ph.D, Franz J. Prott, M.D., Alexander deVries, M.D, Guenther Stoll, Ph.D, Klaus Kisters, M.D., Frank Bruns, M.D., Ulrich Schaefer, M.D., Norman Willich, M.D., Oliver Micke, M.D.
International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 3 February 2010
Purpose
We assessed whether adjuvant supplementation with selenium improves the selenium status and reduces side effects of patients treated by radiotherapy (RT) for cervical and uterine cancer.
Methods and Materials
Whole-blood selenium concentrations were measured in patients with cervical cancer (n = 11) and uterine cancer (n = 70) after surgical treatment, during RT, at the end of RT, and 6 weeks after RT. Patients with initial selenium concentrations of less than 84μg/L were randomized before RT either to receive 500 μg of selenium (in the form of sodium selenite [selenase®, biosyn Arzneimittel GmbH, Fellbach, Germany]) by mouth on the days of RT and 300 μg of selenium on the days without RT or to receive no supplement during RT. The primary endpoint of this multicenter Phase 3 study was to assess the efficiency of selenium supplementation during RT; the secondary endpoint was to decrease radiation-induced diarrhea and other RT-dependent side effects.
Results
A total of 81 patients were randomized. We enrolled 39 in the selenium group (SG) and 42 in the control group (CG). Selenium levels did not differ between the SG and CG upon study initiation but were significantly higher in the SG at the end of RT. The actuarial incidence of diarrhea of Grade 2 or higher according to Common Toxicity Criteria (version 2) in the SG was 20.5% compared with 44.5% in the CG (p = 0.04). Other blood parameters, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and self-reported quality of life were not different between the groups.
Conclusions
Selenium supplementation during RT is effective in improving blood selenium status in selenium-deficient cervical and uterine cancer patients and reduces the number of episodes and severity of RT-induced diarrhea.
