Effects of dietary selenium compounds on benzo (a)-pyrene-induced forestomach tumours and whole-blood glutathione peroxidase activities in C3H mice.

Selenium (Se) compounds have shown an inhibitory effect on chemically induced tumours in several laboratory models and there is an inverse epidemiological relationship between Se status and certain types of cancer. Little is known about the influence of Se on the development of stomach cancer. Three different forms of dietary Se, selenomethionine, sodium selenite, and high-selenium yeast were investigated as possible inhibitors of benzo(a)pyrene-induced forestomach tumours in mice. The effects of sodium selenite in combination with vitamin E, and of Se-deficiency were also studied. None of the dietary modifications had any effect on tumour incidence or number. Marked elevations of whole-blood glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were observed in animals supplemented with all Se-compounds. High-selenium yeast caused the largest increase of GSH-Px activity followed by sodium selenite and selenomethionine. The results indicate that the inhibitory effect of Se on carcinogenesis may be specific with respect to organ site or tumour cell examined.