TSCs were found to be common during cancer chemotherapy and were related to sociodemographic rather than clinical factors. TSCs were also found to be closely related to many other side effects of chemotherapy.

Few studies explore patients' experiences of smell and taste changes during cytotoxic chemotherapy. Issues, such as how such changes impact daily life, their consequences, and how patients respond to chemotherapy-induced chemosensory changes, have not previously been systematically addressed. The aim of this study was to examine these questions by exploring experiences of chemotherapy-induced chemosensory changes. In this qualitative longitudinal study, semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 women and 7 men with a variety of cancer diagnoses, who were known to have smell and taste changes. The participants were chosen for heterogeneity in regard to factors that might impact on experiences of chemotherapy. Participants were followed monthly until chemosensory changes ceased. There was great individual variation in patterns, intensity and impact of smell and/or taste changes, with changes reported to have ceased in all participants within 3.5 months after treatment ended. While not all participants found reported changes "bothersome," those who did reported predominantly emotional and social consequences. Smell and taste changes were said to be influenced by, or to influence, other symptoms, for example, appetite loss, early satiation, nausea, and oral problems. Although participants said they lacked ways to manage chemosensory changes, coping strategies described included frequent oral hygiene, searching for tolerable food, relying on smell and taste memory, and acceptance of changes. Although chemosensory changes resolved in all participants within several months after completed chemotherapy, the reported variation in experiences of taste and smell changes makes these side effects especially challenging to assess and alleviate.

Purpose Taste and smell alterations (TSAs) in patients with lung cancer are poorly understood. This study investigates characteristics of TSAs when most severe, reported by patients after starting treatment for lung cancer. Methods Data was collected regarding TSAs, symptoms, food intake and nutritional status through structured interviews using the Taste and Smell Survey, the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment and 3-day food diaries. This data derives from a longitudinal project and the interview with each patient when TSAs were most severe was purposefully selected for analysis. Results Sixty-one of the 89 patients reported TSAs, and the TSAs group were on average younger and more frequently smokers. Thirty-one patients reported symptoms impacting negatively on food intake, with 87 % in the TSAs group and 13 % in the no-TSAs group. Most commonly reported were loss of appetite, nausea and early satiety. Gender differences were seen with more women reporting stronger sensation(s) and more men reporting weaker sensation(s) and other changes. TSAs were described as affecting enjoyment of food and eating. A trend was seen where energy intakes declined with increasing TSAs. Energy intakes in the total study population were below recommended. Conclusion TSAs varied in characteristics and interacted with other symptoms. Gender differences may highlight a need to investigate approaches for identification and management of TSAs in men and women. Patients reported TSAs impacting on food enjoyment, and the hypothesis that patients with higher TSS scores have lower nutritional intakes should be followed up with a larger study in the lung cancer population.