Prolonged Neutropenia and Yellowish Discoloration of the Skin, But Not the Sclera, Following Excessive Turmeric Raw Root Ingestion

Abstract

The medicinal use of curcumin has gained popularity in recent years especially so among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. In this report, we describe the case of a 51-year-old female breast cancer patient who self-medicated on large amounts of turmeric root infusions while receiving chemotherapy. The patient presented with yellowish discoloration of her skin, but normal-colored sclera. She also had severe neutropenia, which persisted despite halting chemotherapy. When her white blood cell counts returned to normal, only after stopping her turmeric regimen, we determined that her neutropenia is associated with turmeric consumption making this the first report to establish this link. This report demonstrates that, as an alternative form of medication, curcumin consumption should still be monitored in cancer patients. We provide the visible sign of yellowish skin discoloration as a visible aid for healthcare providers in detecting turmeric consumption as a risk factor to be considered in differential diagnoses of unexplained neutropenia.