Published in Cancer Detection and Prevention 1993; 17(1).

Biological monitoring of aflatoxin exposures in a hyperendemic area of hepatitis B virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma

CT Chen ScD, SJ Chou BS, LY Wang BS, YW Cheng BS, LL Hsieh DrPH

In order to assess the aflatoxin exposures among residents in Taiwan where both hepatitis B infection and hepatocellular carcinoma are hyperendemic, a total of 501 junior high school students recruited from 20 townships and precincts were studied. Overnight urine samples were collected from study subjects and determined for aflatoxin contents-by an enzyme-linked immuno- sorbent assay. The overall positive rate of aflatoxins in urine was 10.6%. Based on a multiple logistic regression analysis, the aflatoxin-positive rate was significantly associated with the season of urine collection, the urbanization level and age- adjusted river cancer mortality level of residential areas, and the consumption of peanut products including shelled peanut, peanut powder, peanut candy, and peanut butter. Urine samples collected in April and May had a higher positive rate than those collected in January and March (odds ratio=1.9, p=0.03); subjects lived in areas of high liver cancer mortality had a higher positive rate than those lived in low mortality areas (odds ratio=2.4, p=0.07); subjects lived in areas of moderate urbanizational level had a higher positive rate than those lived in areas of high and low urbanizational levels (odds ratio=2.2, p=0.01); those who had consumed peanut products within 3 days before urine collection had a higher positive rate than those who did not consume(odds ratio=2.7, D=0.001). It is suggested that aflatoxins may also play an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan.

Paper presented at the International Symposium on Cofactor Interactions and Cancer Prevention; Nice, France; March 17-19, 1993; in the section on Nutritional Cofactors.

http://www.cancerprev.org/Journal/Issues/17/1/27/1027