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SELECT Trial

Meaning

The SELECT Trial, formally known as the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, was a large-scale, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of selenium and vitamin E supplementation in preventing prostate cancer in men. Although the primary outcome showed no benefit for cancer prevention and, in some subgroups, suggested a small increased risk, the trial remains a pivotal study in nutritional and preventative oncology. Clinically, the results emphasize the importance of rigorous, large-scale studies to confirm the efficacy of nutritional supplements and caution against the indiscriminate use of high-dose antioxidants. The findings have profoundly influenced public health recommendations regarding these specific micronutrients.