Selenium status and cancer mortality in subjects residing in four Canadian provinces

The objective of this study was to measure selenium status in maleand female Canadian subjects relative to cancer mortality in their respectiveprovinces. Toenail specimens from 755 subjects, 377 males and 378 females,living in Vancouver (186), Edmonton (188), Toronto (197) and Montreal (184)were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis giving means of0.968±0.177, 0.950±0.148, 0.932±0.135 and 0.896±0.127ppm Se, respectively. The effect of selenium determinants such as gender,selenium supplementation and smoking on selenium status is presented. Detailsof the observed inverse relationship of selenium status and cancer mortalityare discussed.