Selenium is a mineral found in many plant foods and in some meats and seafood.
Known for its protective benefits of guarding cells against the effects of free radicals that are produced during normal oxygen metabolism, selenium is also essential for normal functioning of the immune system and thyroid gland. Patients diagnosed with stage-one lung cancer usually undergo surgery to have the lung or part of it removed and often do not require further treatment, said Dr. Anand Karnad, chief of hematology and oncology at East Tennessee State University's James H. Quillen College of Medicine. However, over the next five to 10 years, there is a two percent chance each year that a new cancer will develop in the remaining lung. According to Karnad, the purpose of this study is to determine if selenium could lower a person's risk of developing a second lung cancer. Individuals who have had stage-one lung cancer within the past three years may be eligible to participate.