Hepatoma and trematode infestation: a short review

Abstract

Hepatoma is a common cancer that can be seen around the world and clinical correlation between infection and hepatoma is evident. Hepatitis virus infection is proved for its relationship with hepatoma. However, the knowledge of other infections is still limited. In this short review, the relationship between hepatoma and some trematode infestation including echinococcosis fascioliasis, opisthorchiasis, clonorchiasis and schistosomiasis are described and discussed. Opisthorchiasis and clonorchiasis are confi rmed for cholangiocarcinoma carcinogenesis but still lack evidence for hepatoma carcinogenesis. Schistosomiasis can increase the severity of hepatoma.

Cancerogenic parasites in veterinary medicine: a narrative literature review

“…are closely related to the previously described liver trematodes, there is yet no conclusive evidence linking these parasites to human cancer [207]. Nonetheless, this fluke has occasionally been linked to human and animal disease complications, mostly as a cause of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, comparable to what has been described in other closely related veterinary-relevant agents, such the giant liver fluke (Fascioloides magna) [210,211,214,215]. The role of Fasciola in carcinogenesis has been hypothesized in two separate neoplastic entities in veterinary medicine.…”

“…Serological testing ruled out infections with HBV and HCV [ 232 ]. Other experimental and clinical reports suggest that this parasite may increase the risk of various human malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, bladder carcinoma, prostate cancer, and follicular lymphoma [ 8 , 32 , 215 ].…”

“…Over nearly the entire twentieth century, chronic inflammation has been the most widely accepted parasite-associated cancerogenic mechanism. In all the veterinary cancer-causing parasites reported in Table 1 , an inflammatory role in cancerogenesis was postulated [ 67 , 107 , 124 , 137 , 144 , 153 , 167 , 215 , 247 , 274 , 279 ]. A clear continuum between inflammatory and neoplastic lesions, especially for S. lupi , Heterakis spp., T. taeniformis , and liver fluke infections, is immediately evident [ 107 , 124 , 247 ].…”

“…Liver sarcoma induced by T. taeniformis [ 244 , 247 ] and Ollulanus -related stomach cancer have also been hypothesized to arise in patients coinfected by viruses [ 144 ]. There is evidence to suggest that both S. mansoni and C. sinensis may indirectly potentiate the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by HBV and HCV [ 189 , 215 ]. Lastly, the association between T. annulata and BLV-induced lymphoma in calves described by Al-Dubaib et al [ 288 ] may be explained by Theileria -induced lymphoid proliferation boosting neoplastic transformation induced by the retrovirus.…”