Selenium Supplementation Reduces Chemoradiotherapy-Induced Adverse Gastrointestinal Effects in Pelvic Cancer Patients

Patients with pelvic cancer who receive radiotherapy are always going to experience side effects from the treatment. This investigation intends to employ selenium supplementation to lessen gastrointestinal symptoms (GI). Patients with pelvic cancer were separated into the control and selenium groups and received four fields of radiation. In selenium groups, patients received selenium supplementation throughout therapy, and their GI side effects were assessed using the National Cancer Institute score. For evaluating the side effects and the degree of significant correlation, odds ratios (OR) and p-values lower than 0.05 were employed. Results revealed that among patients who didn't receive selenium, the risk of diarrhea in higher grades is higher than in lower grades, with the rate of grades II, III, and 0 having an OR=3.6 and a p-value: 0.004. Tenesmus and vomiting had OR values of 0.16 and 0.79, respectively, with a p-value of 338 and 0.21 for each. The outcomes of radiation and quality of life in patients with pelvic cancer were both improved by selenium supplementation, according to the results given here.