Taste Alteration in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate nutrition in cancer patients, chemotherapy-induced taste alterations and the factors affecting these taste alterations. METHODS This study was planned as a cross-sectional study. Patients who had received chemotherapy at least once and had been on chemotherapy for the last 7-10 days (n=112) were included in this study. The data were collected using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and the Chemotherapy-induced Taste Alteration Scale (CiTAS). RESULTS The CiTAS score was higher in female cancer patients. Patients with nausea 2.19 (SD=1.00) and vomiting 3.13 (SD=1.21) had higher scores on the taste disorder subscale of the CiTAS, while patients with vomiting 3.00 (SD=1.42) had higher scores on the general taste alterations subscale (p<0.05). Patients with constipation received high scores on the subscales of reduction in intake of the basic tastes, taste disorder, and general taste alterations 2.50 (SD=1.27) (p<0.05). Patients with a lack of appetite obtained high scores on the subscales of reduction in the intake of the basic tastes, taste disorder, phantogeusia, parageusia, and general taste alterations 2.64 (SD=1.29) (p<0.05). Mild malnutrition was observed in 24.6% of the patients. CONCLUSION This study revealed that taste alteration was higher in female and early-stage patients and more severe in patients with nausea, vomiting, constipation, and mucositis. Taste alteration was found to be greater in patients with poor nutritional status.

Taste alteration and its relationship with nutritional status among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, cross-sectional study

“…According to our results, a higher mean score on the taste disorder subscale suggested a higher risk of malnutrition. The taste disorder or discomfort subscale assesses the link between changes in taste sensation and nausea or vomiting, changes in the sense of smell, difficulty eating hot food, fatty food, meat, and appetite loss [ 12 ]. As a result, taste problems were assumed to have a serious effect on eating behavior and food selection, raising the risk of malnutrition, and making taste disorder an important determinant of malnutrition.…”

“…Smokers and older patients were less affected by chemotherapy-induced taste impairments due to their increased taste thresholds [ 2 , 10 ]. On the other hand, women were found to be more susceptible to dysgeusia than men [ 11 , 12 ]. Developing dysgeusia was significantly associated with the type of cancer and the chemotherapy regimen [ 13 ].…”

The Effects of Taste Changes on the Quality of Life of Patients Receiving Chemotherapy Treatment

“…In the study that was carried out by Celik et al (n=196), it was found that patients experienced moderate levels of taste changes, as well as moderate levels of phantogeusia and parageusia among types of taste change (25). In other studies using CiTAS and examining taste changes in different types of cancer, CiTAS subscale scores have usually been reported in the range of 1-3 (7,26,27). In addition to the direct physiological effects of chemotherapy, other symptoms of the disease itself and the adverse effects of chemotherapy also affect the sensation of taste.…”

Kemoterapi Alan Akciğer Kanserli Hastalarda Tat Değişiklerinin Değerlendirilmesi

“…Benzer olarak Akciğer kanserli hastalarda yapılan bir çalışmada, tat değişikliği ile kanser tipi, evresi, hastalık süresi, kemoterapi protokolü arasında bir ilişki olmadığı bildirilmiştir (21). Farklı tip kanser tanısı olan hastalarda CiTAS ölçeğinin kullanılarak tat değişikliğinin değerlendirildiği çalışmalarda da hastaların hastalık süresine, kanser evresine, kanser tipine ve kemoterapi tipine göre tat değişikliği skorlarının farklılık göstermediği belirlenmiştir (29,31).…”

“…Bu çalışmada da hastalar orta şiddette tat değişikliği yaşarken, tat değişikliğine bağlı rahatsızlığı da orta şiddette deneyimlediği belirlenmiştir. CiTAS ölçeğinin kullanılarak farklı kanser tip tanısı olan hastalarda tat değişikliğinin değerlendirildiği çalışmalarda genellikle hastaların CiTAS ölçeğinin alt boyut puan skorları 1 ile 3 arasında değişiklik göstermiştir (29)(30)(31). Diğer çalışma sonuçlarından da kemoterapi alan kanserli hastalarda tat değişikliği niteliğinin farklı yoğunlukta ve farklı sıklıkta olabildiği anlaşılmaktadır (9, 23,24).…”