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Aflatoxin exposure and primary liver cancer in Ghana
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Aflatoxin exposure and primary liver cancer in Ghana

Yvonne Nartey, Ralph Kwame Akyea, Brian Cox and Verna Vanderpuye
BMJ global health, Vol.10(6), e017626
10/06/2025
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/10523/51165

Abstract

Commentary Control strategies Epidemiology Global Health Health education and promotion Aflatoxins Aspergillus
Aflatoxins are toxins produced by certain fungi, primarily Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which thrive in warm humid conditions. These fungi frequently contaminate crops such as maize and groundnuts, which are dietary staples in many African and Asian countries where storage facilities are often suboptimal. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified naturally occurring aflatoxins as Group 1 human carcinogens, meaning they are definitively linked to cancer in humans. Many epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to aflatoxins, especially when combined with chronic HBV infection, significantly increases the risk of developing primary liver cancer.
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Published (Version of record) Open Access CC BY-NC V4.0
url
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-017626View
Published (Version of record) Open CC BY-NC V4.0

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