
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 5, 1995                   TAG: 9504050083
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

STUDY: SELENIUM DOESN'T FIGHT CANCER

A large study of American nurses casts doubt on the alleged anti-cancer properties of the mineral selenium, finding that the amount consumed by most U.S. women doesn't lower their risk.

The trace mineral gained wide attention when scientists found that high doses protected animals against cancer, and supplements often are marketed as antioxidant cancer fighters. But research in people is mixed, and little has been done on women, so Harvard scientists decided to study selenium in women.

They found that ordinary consumption of selenium failed to protect women from cancer, and the handful of selenium supplement users actually had a slightly higher risk of the disease, although they cautioned that there was no proof the selenium was to blame.

- Associated Press

by CNB