Select: The next prostate cancer prevention trial

Purpose: Growing evidence implies that selenium and vitamin E may decrease the risk of prostate cancer. The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention T rial (SELECT) is a randomized prospective double-blind study designed to de termine whether selenium and vitamin E decrease the risk of prostate cancer in healthy men. Materials and Methods: The preclinical and epidemiological evidence regardi ng chemoprevention with selenium and vitamin E were reviewed. Secondary ana lyses from randomized trials of the 2 agents were included in the current a nalysis. Data from these analyses as well as evidence from the Prostate Can cer Prevention Trial were used to develop the SELECT schema. Results: Preclinical, epidemiological and phase III data imply that seleniu m and vitamin E have potential efficacy for prostate cancer prevention. The experience of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial shows the interest and dedication of healthy men to long-term studies of cancer prevention. A tota l of 32,400 men are planned to be randomized in SELECT. Conclusions: SELECT is the second large-scale study of chemoprevention for prostate cancer. Enrollment in the study is planned to begin in 2001 with f inal results anticipated in 2013.