Acute myeloid leukemia with complex cytogenetic abnormalities associated with long-term use of oral colloidal silver as nutritional supplement – Case report and review of literature

Abstract

We report a case of acute myeloid leukemia with complex cytogenetic abnormalities suggestive of preexisting myelodysplastic syndrome in a patient with habitual ingestion of colloidal silver as nutritional supplement for over 10 years and the medical literature is reviewed.

Myth Busters: Dietary Supplements and COVID-19

“…59,62,63 Systemic silver exposure may have additional harmful effects on the gastrointestinal system, liver, kidney, and other major organs. 62 Long-term ingestion of silver has resulted in reports of neurotoxicity, seizure, acute psychosis, acute myeloid leukemia, 63 and leukocytoclastic vasculitis. 64 Despite the FDA's warning, colloidal silver is still readily available and advertised to the public.…”

“…59 Extensively documented in the literature, the most common side effect of silver exposure is argyria, an irreversible gray or blue-gray skin discoloration. 59 , 62 , 63 Systemic silver exposure may have additional harmful effects on the gastrointestinal system, liver, kidney, and other major organs. 62 Long-term ingestion of silver has resulted in reports of neurotoxicity, seizure, acute psychosis, acute myeloid leukemia, 63 and leukocytoclastic vasculitis.…”

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from curd whey for its anticancer activity

“…Generally speaking, the smaller the particle size, the higher the biological activity. To obtain an ideal anticancer agent with high biological activity, our team successfully synthesized a kind of very small silver particles which reached up to Ångstrom (Å; one-tenth of a nanometer) scale and determined the stronger anticancer activities of silver Ångstrom particles (AgÅPs) compared with AgNPs [8] . In addition, exposure time and dose are also considered as crucial factors.…”

“…Some possible mechanisms involving the anticancer effects of AgNPs have been proposed. AgNPs can cause apoptosis or necrosis by destroying the ultrastructure of cancer cells, inducing ROS production and DNA damage, inactivating enzymes, as well as regulating signaling pathways [8] . In addition, AgNPs can also block the invasion and metastasis of tumor cells by inhibiting angiogenesis.…”