High bodily levels of nickel and selenium may lower pancreatic cancer risk
Date: 2.1.2012
High bodily levels of the trace elements nickel and selenium may lower the risk of developing the most common type of pancreatic cancer, finds research published online in Gut.
Similarly, high levels of lead, arsenic, and cadmium could boost the likelihood of developing the disease, the study shows.
The researchers assessed 12 trace element levels in the toenails of 118 patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer-the most common form of the disease-and just under 400 hospital patients without cancer.
Analysis of the nail content showed that levels of certain trace elements were significantly higher or lower among the cancer patients than among patients in the comparison group. The higher or lower the level, the greater or lesser was the risk of having the disease.
