Over 400 people participated in the study, which saw them receive either placebo or a antioxidant-rich supplement containing selenomethionnine, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E. At the end of the study, people in the antioxidant group experienced a 40 per cent reduction in the incidence of new polyps of the large bowel.
The research findings are being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference. Adenomatous polyps (or adenoma) are benign lesions of the large bowel that, in time, could progress to cancer, explain the researchers. Even though only a small proportion of adenomas will develop into cancer, it is said that almost 70 to 80 per cent of colorectal cancer stems from an adenoma.
The supplement provided daily doses of 200 micrograms of selenomethionnine, 30 milligrams of zinc, 6,000 IU of vitamin A, 180 milligrams of vitamin C, and 30 milligrams of vitamin E. All the participants had already undergone surgery to remove one or more colorectal adenomas.
According to the researchers, “It is noteworthy that the benefit observed after the conclusion of the trial persisted through 13 years of follow up.”
Steve - another wonderful example of a long-term, prevention-based study.
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