Differential Cytotoxic And Radiosensitizing Effects Of Silver Nanoparticles On Triple-Negative Breast Cancer And Non-Triple-Negative Breast Cells
In this clinical study, published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine in June 2015, researchers demonstrated that silver nanoparticles were highly toxic to triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC) “at doses that have little effect on non-tumorigenic breast cells or cells derived from liver, kidney, and monocyte lineages.”
In other words, the silver nanoparticles caused toxicity and ultimately cell death in the breast cancer cells, at levels that caused no harm to normal healthy human breast cells, nor to cells involved in the clearance of silver from the body, such as liver and kidney cells, nor to immune cells (i.e., monocytes). According to the study authors, compared to other types of breast tumors, triple-negative breast cancer “has a greater likelihood of metastasis, and the 5-year survival rate of women diagnosed with TNBC is markedly decreased.” Therefore, the researchers argued, “there’s a pressing need for effective therapeutics to treat this form of breast cancer.” The researchers concluded, “… we find that AgNPs are cytotoxic to TNBC cells at doses that have little effect on noncancerous breast cells or other healthy cells.”
