Mycotoxins esophageal cancer

EW Sydenham, PG Thiel, WFO Marasas, GS Shephard, DJ Van Schalkwyk, KR Koch. Natural occurence of some fusarium mycotoxins in com from low and high esophageal cancer prevalence areas of Transkei, Southern Africa. J Agric Food Chem 38 1900-1903, 1990. 

Fusarium species produce various other toxic metabolites. Fusarin C (9.10) is a mutagenic metabolite of F. monoliforme. The fumonisins, e.g. 9.11, are another group of mycotoxins that have been isolated from this fungus. They have been associated with a high incidence of esophageal cancer and several animal diseases. The simple molecule monoliformin (9.12) is also a toxin. 

As trichothecene mycotoxins cause several diseases in man and farm animal, such as red mold disease, staggering toxicosis, esophageal cancer, it is worthwhile to consider their importance in human and farm animal health. As ubiquitous environmental pollutants, trichothecene mycotoxins can assume great significance in the primary health care of community especially in rural community. 

Chu, F.S., and Li, G.Y. 1994. Simultaneous occurrence of fumonisin Bj and other mycotoxins in moldy com collected from the people s Republic of China in regions with high incidences of esophageal cancer. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60 847-852. 

Mycotoxins can also cause esophageal and liver cancers in humans and are associated with stunting in children. These problems are especially acute in rural Africa where farmers store a years supply of corn in wicker cribs that are open to the sun, weather, infestation by beetle and weevil larvae, and fungal contamination (Wu 2006). 

---