Affiliations: New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY
10010, USA
Note: [] Division of Biological Sciences, Medicine, and Surgery, NYU
College of Dentistry, 345 East 24rd Street, Room 855S, New York, NY 10010, USA.
Tel.: +1 212 998 9559; Fax: +1 212 995 4087; E-mail: lk2@nyu.edu
Abstract: Supplementation with 200 μg/day of sodium
selenite during therapy for squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) of the head and
neck, e.g., surgery, radiation, or surgery and radiation, resulted in a
significantly enhanced cell-mediated immune responsiveness. The enhanced
responsiveness was evident during therapy and following conclusion of therapy.
In contrast, patients in the placebo arm of the study showed a decline in
immune responsiveness during therapy. The results from studies on mice
inoculated with SQCC cells expressing the receptor for interleukin-2 (IL-2) and
supplemented with Se (2.00 ppm) indicated that Se significantly retards the
clinical appearance of tumors; peritumoral injections of 2,000 IU of IL-2
resulted in 50% reduction in the size of established tumors and 72% of early
tumors. The combined data suggested that local immunotherapy with IL-2 in hosts
supplemented with Se may represent an effective modality of treatment for the
prevention of recurrences at the site of conventionally treated primary
tumors.
