Elevated Risk for Prostate Cancer Found with Vitamin E Supplementation

Basic science and epidemiologic data have suggested that vitamin E and selenium supplementation lower risk for prostate cancer. However, when early results from a large controlled trial of vitamin E supplementation showed no fewer cases of — and a possible excess risk for — prostate cancer after 3 years, supplementation was halted (JW Gen Med Jan 15 2009). This new report includes data from 3 additional years of follow-up.

Originally, the 35,533 men were randomized to daily selenium (200 µg) plus vitamin E placebo, vitamin E (400 IU) plus selenium placebo, both selenium and vitamin E, or double placebo. Participants (age, ≥50 for blacks, ≥55 for whites) had prostate-specific antigen levels ≤4 ng/mL and normal digital rectal exams. Nearly 180…