Assessment of the role of aflatoxin B1 in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast): Preliminary study

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer death in sub-Saharan Africa. The main etiologic agents of this pathology are chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and dietary exposure to aflatoxin B1. This work is the preliminary step of a study that aimed to assessment the involvement of aflatoxin B1 in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Côte d'Ivoire. Thirty-three HCC patients and 66 controls (33 cases of chronic HBV and 33 blood donors) were recruited for this study. The aflatoxin B1-lysine biomarker was extracted and purified from the serum on anion exchange columns and quantified using an HPLC system coupled to a fluorescent detector. Aflatoxin B1-lysine was found in 81.82% of CHC patients and 78.79% of controls. The mean levels of aflatoxin B1-lysine were 36.57 pg/mg albumin in HCC patients, 34.95 pg/mg albumin in HBV patients and 25.63 pg/mg albumin in blood donors. No significant difference was found between aflatoxin B1-lysine levels in HCC and control patients (P > 0.05). The synergistic effect between aflatoxins and HBV could be a significant risk factor in the development of HCC in Côte d'Ivoire.