Researchers estimate role of aflatoxin in global liver cancer figuresTwo researchers from the university of Pittsburgh in the USA have carried out a 'quantitative cancer risk assessment' in an attempt to determine how much of the global burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver cancer, is attributable to aflatoxin exposure.
The Pittsburgh team conducted their risk assessment using published data on global aflatoxin levels in food, WHO consumption data for high-risk foods (e.g. maize and groundnuts) and data on the prevalence of hepatitis B, which significantly increases the aflatoxin-related HCC risk.
They concluded that of the 550,000 to 600,000 new cases of HCC recorded each year, about 25,200 to 155,000 (4.6-28.2%) may be attributable to aflatoxin exposure. Most of these cases occur in developing countries, especially in Africa, Southeast Asia and China, where hepatitis B prevalence is high and controls on aflatoxins in food are largely ineffective. Although aflatoxin has been identified as a carcinogen for many years, this is claimed to be the first attempt to quantify its contribution to liver cancer worldwide.
A report of the study will be published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and a copy can be downloaded as a PDF via the link below.
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.0901388
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