Till date, there is no report supporting the role of heavy metal-contaminated crops in the incidence of HCC. However, considering the fact that accumulation of Iron and Cadmium can increase the incidence of HCC, it is quite logical to think that metal toxicity through intake of contaminated crops would lead to HCC.

1. Tirnitz-Parker JE, et al. (2013). Iron and hepatic carcinogenesis.

Crit Rev Oncog. 18(5): 391-407.

2. Cadmium may increase HCC risk through increasing the frequency of hepatogenous diabetes.

Reference: Satarug S. (2012). Long-term exposure to cadmium in food and cigarette smoke, liver effects and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Curr Drug Metab. 13(3): 257-71.