The SELECT Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC) met in September 2008 to review the data to date. Thanks to each and every participant, enough data were available to make a decision about the effectiveness of the Study Supplements. The data showed that 200 mcg of selenium and 400 IUs daily of vitamin E do not prevent prostate cancer. Investigators from the study leadership and the National Cancer Institute agreed with the DSMC’s findings. Participants in SELECT should stop taking their Study Supplements.

SELECT is not over. There is valuable information to be gained by continuing participant follow-up. The data to date suggest, but do not prove, that vitamin E may slightly increase the chance of getting prostate cancer, and that selenium may increase the chance of getting diabetes mellitus. We emphasize that these findings are not proven. We will learn more about the effects of the Study Supplements as we continue to monitor our participants’ health. Participant safety is our priority.

The study site staff will gather information on participants’ current health and medical information at study site visits. As one of the largest medical studies of men, SELECT will help answer many critical questions about men’s health and will assist scientists in the future.

Participants will receive a letter about this transition from the study leadership. The letter will be mailed to them by their local study site. Continue to check this website for periodic updates. If you are a participant in SELECT, you can contact your Study Site for more information. Contact information for your Study Site can be found in the list of SELECT Study Sites.

Thanks to all the participants on SELECT, we now know that selenium and vitamin E do not prevent prostate cancer. This important public health message is a result of over 35,000 men participating in SELECT. The SELECT National Participant Advisory Board and the leadership of SELECT appreciate each participant’s commitment. The best way for participants to maximize their contribution is to continue to participate in SELECT.

More information about SELECT: National Cancer Institute