Case-control study of cigarette smoking and primary hepatoma in an aflatoxin-endemic region of China: a protective effect.
Aflatoxin is believed to be a major causative agent in the high incidence of primary liver cancer seen in certain regions of the world. In Fujian Province, an aflatoxin-endemic region of China, we compared the cigarette smoking habits of 200 primary hepatoma patients with those of 200 matched nonhepatoma controls. We excluded from our study all individuals with evidence of hepatitis B virus serum antigen and/or alcoholic cirrhosis. Interestingly, two groups of hepatoma patients could be discerned. In patients more than 50 years of age, a significantly higher number of cases of primary hepatoma was found among nonsmokers than smokers (odds ratio = 2.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.32-3.20). In patients less than 50 years of age, this difference was not seen. Previous studies in the rat, mouse and duck had suggested that agents present in cigarette smoke might induce a cytochrome P450-mediated detoxication pathway, leading to protection against aflatoxin-induced primary liver cancer. Our clinical data in the present study are therefore consistent with the previous laboratory animal experiments.
Lin
L
L
Department of Pathology, Union Hospital, Fujian, China.
Yang
F
F
Ye
Z
Z
Xu
E
E
Yang
C
C
Zhang
C
C
Wu
D
D
Nebert
D W
DW
D000328:Adult; D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking
D000348:Aflatoxins