Determining the Selenium Level in Patients With Cancer-Related Fatigue (2023)

Abstract

Background and Objective: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is recognized as one of the most common side effects of cancer and its treatment and can affect the quality of life of individuals. Studies have shown that there is an inseparable link between CRF and inflammation. Selenium, known as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, reduces the production of inflammatory markers as well as the accumulation of free oxygen radicals. Therefore, a decrease in selenium levels leads to increased inflammation and, consequently, greater fatigue. This study aimed to determine the level of selenium and its relationship with CRF. Methodology: A total of 70 patients who met the entry criteria for the study were examined after the level of fatigue was determined through the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) questionnaire, and the selenium content in the serum was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Findings: In this study, 70 cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy, including 32 men and 38 women, were examined. The total fatigue score measured through the MFI questionnaire was 57.82 +/- 10.42, and the level of selenium in the blood of the patients was 77.75 +/- 19.24 mu g/L. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that there was a significant negative correlation between selenium levels and CRF (p < 0.001, r = -0.524), indicating that with decreasing selenium levels, the amount of CRF increased. These results vary depending on the type of cancer.