Minerals that protect against cancer
Tuesday December 20th, 2011
Two trace elements may help protect against cancer of the pancreas, researchers say today.
The
Spanish researchers also link arsenic, lead and cadmium to increased rates
of disease.
The findings, in the journal Gut, come from a study of 118 patients with the most common form of the disease, exocrine pancreatic cancer. Doctors studied the level of the substances found in toenails.
The patients were compared with another 400 people who did not have cancer.
Although the findings may suggest healthy properties for nickel and selenium, they may also simply reflect other causes of the disease.
It has been linked to smoking, diabetes and obesity - and tobacco contains cadmium.
The researchers say they sought to take account of these factors in their analysis.
The researchers led by Dr Nuria Malats, of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain, say: "Our results support an increased risk of pancreatic cancer associated with higher levels of cadmium, arsenic, and lead, as well as an inverse association with higher levels of selenium and nickel."
Gut December 20 2011 doi 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-301086
Tags: Cancer | Diet & Food | Europe
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