Carcinogenicity of Aflatoxin B1 in Rhesus Monkeys: Two Additional Cases of Primary Liver Cancer2

1 July 1976

journal article
research article
Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Vol. 57 (1) , 67-78
https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/57.1.67

Abstract

Three of 42 (7%) monkeys given aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) for longer than 2 years have developed primary malignant neoplasms of the liver. Liver biopsies performed at intervals during aflatoxin administration revealed that neoplasia was preceded by pathologic lesions of the liver, including toxic hepatitis, proliferation of pseudotubules, and hyperplastic nodules. Serum α-feto-protein levels, monitored in one of the monkeys by radioimmunoassay, paralleled tumor growth and recurrence of the hepatocellular carcinoma. Normal serum α-fetoprotein levels were noted for a monkey with hemangioendothelial sarcoma. Our results implicate AFB₁ as a liver carcinogen in monkeys and add additional support to the hypothesis that humans exposed to this substance may be at risk of developing liver cancer.

Keywords

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit:

Induction of Hepatic Cell Carcinomas in Monkeys With N-Nitrosodiethylamine2
JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1966
Hepatic Tumours in Ducks fed a Low Level of Toxic Groundnut Meal
Nature, 1965