Published online Jun 28, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i24.3723
Revised: April 18, 2013
Accepted: May 8, 2013
Published online: June 28, 2013
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary metabolite of Aspergillus and Penicillium, microorganisms that can be hazardous to health when present as food contaminants. OTA is a potent member of a group of mycotoxins. Prolonged exposure to mycotoxins in the diet is related to cancer, among other diseases. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 70%-90% of primary liver cancers and is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In a recent study, Ibrahim et al proposed a correlation between the incidence of HCC and contamination with OTA. Analysis of OTA in serum samples showed that HCC patients had the highest incidence of OTA of the subjects examined (5-fold higher than that of the control group). OTA levels were significantly increased in HCC patients. This study demonstrates that chronic exposure to high levels of OTA may be associated with a high risk of liver cancer development. Future epidemiologic studies of HCC should focus on good practices in food preparation, food storage and the consumption of OTA-containing foods.
Core tip: This manuscript is a short commentary to the paper which considered ochratoxin A, a mycotoxin produced by fungi, as an important carcinogen and etiological agent able to induce hepatocellular carcinoma. Based on a recent study, we try to link food contamination with a possible increased incidence on hepatocellular carcinoma cases at eastern populations.