Aflatoxin B residues in human livers and their relationship with markers of hepatic carcinogenesis in São Paulo, Brazil.

In this study, hepatic biopsies from autopsy cases in São Paulo, Brazil, showing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC,  = 8), cirrhosis associated with viral hepatitis (VC,  = 20), cirrhosis associated with alcoholism (AC,  = 20), and normal livers (NL or controls,  = 10) were subjected to determination of aflatoxin B (AFB) and its main metabolites, and of markers of hepatic carcinogenesis Only non-metabolized AFB was detected in 13 samples (27.1%,  = 48) of liver disorders (HCC, VC and AC), at levels between 10.0 and 418.