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Moldy Ice Machine Linked to Young Woman's Cancer Diagnosis
3 Feb
Summary
- Woman diagnosed with Stage 1 kidney cancer after mold was found.
- Mold toxin Ochratoxin found in high levels in her body.
- Symptoms of heartburn and vomiting resolved after ice machine removal.
Schayene Silva, a 38-year-old mother, experienced severe heartburn, coughing, and vomiting for nearly three years, with doctors initially attributing her symptoms to digestion issues. In October 2024, an MRI revealed a mass on her left kidney, diagnosed as Stage 1 clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of kidney cancer in the US.
Determined to find the cause, Silva tested her home for mold and discovered extensive mold contamination in her ice machine. Subsequent testing showed she had ten times the normal amount of Ochratoxin, a toxin produced by certain molds, in her body. This nephrotoxin is known to cause kidney damage and increase cancer risk.
Following surgery in April 2025 to remove the tumor, Silva has become cancer-free. She reports that symptoms like heartburn, nausea, hair loss, and anxiety have since disappeared after she stopped using the mold-contaminated ice machine and her body began to heal from the exposure.
