SELENIUM IN SERUM OF THE PATIENTS WITH INCREASED RISK OF DEVELOPING COLORECTAL-CARCINOMA AND PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL-CARCINOMA

The concentration of selenium in serum in 202 healthy volunteers (66,8 0+/-14,43 mu g/L) include Croatia in the group of selenium - poor coun tries. When compared to healthy volunteers, selenium serum concentrati ons in patients with ulcerous colitis did not differ significantly (66 ,50+/-14,43 mu g/L, n=45, p<0,05), while in the patients with Crohn's desease we found significantly lower concentrations of selenium in ser um (62,0+/-14,48 mu g/L, n=25, p<0,05). In the patients with colorecta l adenomas the selenium serum concentration was also significantly low er (59,09+/-15,05 mu g/L, n=44, p<0,001), and hyposelenaemia was more pronounced in patients with multiple adenomas. Hyposelenaemia in these patients had no relation to location, hystologic type or degree of ep ithelial dysplasia of colorectal adenomas. In patients with colorectal carcinoma we found significantly lower concentration of selenium in s erum of the patients (50,93+/-13,81, n=48, p<0,001). Also, selenium se rum concentrations in these patients correlated with the extension of the disease and in Dukes D were significantly lower than, in Dukes A ( p<0,001). Patients with mucinous type of carcinoma had lower selenium serum concentrations than patients with colorectal adenocarcinomas, bu t the finding was not statistically significant. The concentrations of selenium in serum of patients with colorectal adenomas and patients w ith Dukes A colorectal carcinoma did not differ significantly, allowin g the conclusion of similar nutritive status in these patients with co nditions restricted to intestinal mucosa. Hyposelenaemia could be rega rded as one of the important factors in colorectal tumourogenesis and that should warrant the supplementation of selenium as an preventive a nd/or adjuvant procedure for the patients with colorectal epithelial t umours.