Ochsner Cancer Institute Studies Vitamin E and Selenium as Prostate Cancer Prevention Agents

The Ochsner Cancer Institute (OCI), in conjunction with the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is participating in the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). The study seeks to learn if these two dietary supplements can protect against prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer in men after skin cancer. OCI is one of over 400 sites in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada recruiting 32,400 participants, which is expected to take up to 12 years to complete.

“SELECT is the first study designed to look directly at the effects of vitamin E and selenium, both separately and together, in preventing prostate cancer,” said Carl Kardinal, MD, Principal Investigator for The Ochsner Cancer Institute. “Previous research involving vitamin E and selenium suggested that these nutrients might prevent prostate cancer, but we don't know for sure,” adds Jay Brooks, MD, Oncologist, Ochsner Clinic Baton Rouge. “When SELECT is finished we will know whether these supplements can prevent prostate cancer.”

In 2003, 198,100 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 31,500 are expected to die of the disease. “It is crucial that men of all races and ethnic backgrounds participate in SELECT,” said Leslie Ford, MD, associate director for clinical research in NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention. “And since African-American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer in the world, we especially encourage them to consider joining this trial.” There is no upper age limit for participation in SELECT.

“SELECT is the critical next step for pursuing the promising leads we saw for the prevention of prostate cancer,” said Ford, who is responsible for all aspects of NCI's involvement in SELECT. Study investigators hope to recruit all the study participants during the first 5 years of the trial, so that each patient can be followed for at least 7 years.

For additional information about the study or prostate cancer, call: The National Cancer Institute 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). Callers with TTY equipment, call 1-800-332-8615. NCI's Website http://cancer.gov/select SWOG's Website http://swog.org and choose SELECT.

Dr. Carl Kardinal is the Principal Investigator of Ochsner Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). He has held dozens of special appointments to the CCOP Advisory Committee, the Executive Committee of the North Central Cancer Treatment Group, and the Board of Directors of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project.

Dr. Jay Brooks is the Chairman of Hematology-Oncology at Ochsner Clinic Foundation Baton Rouge, where he also serves as Chief of Medicine, Chief of Medical Subspecialties, and Chairman of the Research Committee.