Revista de Farmacovigilância

Abstrato

Do Gastroenterologists Consider Aflatoxins as Origin of Digestive System Cancers?

Carvajal-Moreno M

Aflatoxins are important etiological factors for cancers in the digestive system that have not been extensively studied. The present review describes reports of the presence of aflatoxins in cancers of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, colon and rectum. The presence of AFB1-FAPY adducts and mutations in codon 249 of the tumor suppressor gene p53 in colorectal cancer tumors and Ki-ras activation by point mutation in pancreas cancer are reliable criteria to accept AFs as an important etiological factor. The Ministries of Health of the different countries should perform more preventive practices on crops in the field and in warehouses; they should chemically analyze aflatoxins in fresh and industrialized foods for humans and feeds for animals to avoid the presence of these dangerous toxins.