Enviromental Risk Factors Associated with Primary Liver Cancer in Western Kenya: A Mini-review

Abstract

Primary Liver Cancer (PLC) is a global health burden, which is poorly addressed in developing countries. It is ranked the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with high incidence rates reported in Asia and Africa. Currently, in Kenya, there is an upward trend of PLC cases reported with no confirmed causes. Furthermore, there is lack of sufficient knowledge on the prognosis mechanisms of PLC, despite some of its known risk factors being established. These additional factors, ranging from lifestyle choices to pre-existing environmental concomitants, could actually play role on the etiology of the disease yet remain unexplored. Due to this, there was a need on evaluating the impacts of exposure to environmental risk factors such as pesticides, food contaminated with aflatoxin, or harmful cyanobacteria algae blooms in regions where PLC is endemic. As a result, this mini-review, aimed at analyzing relevant epidemiological data on primary liver cancer underpinning the mechanism of action of environmental toxin as an emergent risk factor in Western Kenya. This was achieved through meta-synthesis analysis of the previous research findings, with the purpose of integrating their results to inform the present intrinsic case study. Among the many epidemiological studies associating PLC and environmental toxin as an emergent risk factor reviewed in the current study, environmental exposure to microcystin toxin was inferred to constitute a public health hazard due to the continued presence in drinking water sources. Majority of the epidemiological data are in support of the potential association between environmental microcystin toxins and Primary Liver cancer in developing countries. These findings can be used to edify the health and medical professionals at all levels of prevention, including the diagnosis and treatment of liver disease patients, also these findings can act as baseline data that is required for better and informed Lake management water quality.