<p>Impact of taste and smell training on taste disorders during chemotherapy – TASTE trial</p>

Abstract

Purpose Two-thirds of cancer patients report taste disorders during and after chemotherapy. Taste disorders impact on nutritional status which is highly relevant for treatment efficacy and overall prognosis. Improvement of taste disorder is of particular importance for cancer patients’ outcomes, thus the TASTE trial was conducted to improve taste disorders with a taste and smell training. Methods In this trial, patients undergoing chemotherapy were screened for taste disorders. Subsequently, patients were allocated based on the detection of taste disorders (≤8 taste strips points) to an intervention group with a taste and smell training at baseline and week 3–5 or were only followed up, if no taste disorder was detected (≥9 taste strips points) (non-intervention group). At baseline, all patients received a nutritional counseling. The primary endpoint was the minimal clinically relevant improvement of taste strips score by 2 taste strips points in at least 50% of the patients with taste disorders. Results The trial included 62 patients (48 women [77%], 14 male [23%], age 54.5±11.6 years) who had gastrointestinal (n=29), breast (n=31), or lung cancer (n=2). Taste disorders were more frequent in gastrointestinal than in breast cancer patients. Out of 62 patients screened, 30 patients showed taste disorders. The primary endpoint was met with 92% (n=23 of 25) of the patients completing the intervention. In the intervention group, the patients’ taste significantly improved from baseline (median taste strips: 7.0 points) to week 12 (median taste strips: 10.0 points) ( P ≤0.001). Patients of the non-intervention group who completed the reassessment (n=27 of 32) experienced no change in taste perception in the 3-month follow-up ( P =0.897). Conclusion Intensified nutritional counseling with taste and smell training may improve taste perception of patients undergoing chemotherapy. A confirmatory randomized trial is planned.

Do Gut Microbes Taste?

“…Taste changes occur in up to 84% of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments [ 131 ]. Recent studies report that taste disorders were more frequent in gastrointestinal than in breast cancer patients [ 132 ]. Patients who experience gastrointestinal symptoms during chemotherapy are also associated with an increased odd of having taste perception changes [ 133 ].…”

“…Indeed, oral mucositis is closely associated with alterations in taste and frequently reported in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy [ 136 ]. While re-establishment of the microbiota in cancer patients has yet to be explored as a therapeutic treatment for taste dysfunctions, intensified nutritional counseling with taste and smell training has been shown to improve taste perception in these patients [ 132 ]. It should also be noted that many prescription and non-prescription drugs, including antibiotics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, lipid-lowering agents, proton pump inhibitors, chemotherapy drugs, and metformin are known to affect taste as well as disrupt the gut microbiota.…”

Chemosensory perception and food preferences in colorectal cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy

“…A recent trial showed that a smell and taste training during chemotherapy, including actively tasting and smelling foods and odors on daily basis over the course of several weeks, can improve gustatory function in patients with changes in gustatory function. However, this did not directly improve quality of life or decrease the risk of malnutrition [44]. As changes in gustatory function can lead to a reduced energy intake [45], it would be highly relevant to investigate the relation between this training and dietary intake, which was not included in the current study.…”

Managing Severe Dysgeusia and Dysosmia in Lung Cancer Patients: A Systematic Scoping Review

“…focused on novel interventions to improve taste and smell. No guidelines for the treatment of smell and taste disorders are available, with general nutritional counselling that is offered to patients not earnestly addressing this subject (20). Table 4 provides the summary of interventions to prevent or treat TSAs in lung cancer patients, included in the review.…”