Carcinogenesis caused by Mycotoxins

This report, prepared for an international training course under FAO/UNEP/USSR collaboration, offers an examination of the toxicology and carcinogenicity of mycotoxins, with a primary focus on aflatoxins. Drawing from experimental, clinical, and epidemiological data, the document outlines the pathways through which aflatoxins contaminate food supplies, their metabolic transformation in humans and animals, and their capacity to induce liver and renal cancers—particularly hepatocellular carcinoma. It details species-specific sensitivity to aflatoxin B₁, with ducklings, primates, and rats among the most susceptible, while mice and sheep exhibit resistance. The report underscores the molecular mechanisms of action, highlighting the role of hepatic microsomal oxidases, cytotoxicity, and DNA interaction, and explores how dietary factors modulate carcinogenic outcomes. Human case studies, including liver cirrhosis in malnourished children exposed to contaminated peanut flour, reinforce the public health relevance of controlling mycotoxin levels in food.