The present study examined the prevalence of changes in the taste and smell of food among men with advanced prostate cancer who were receiving hormone therapy and/or chemotherapy.
Participants were 75 men with advanced prostate cancer treated at an academic medical center. They completed a prospective survey about nausea while eating, taste and smell of food, and appetite periodically during a mean of 1.3 years of follow-up. Demographics, treatments, and weight data were extracted from electronic health records. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between the presence of the symptoms surveyed, treatments, and weight loss of ≥10%.
Participants experienced poor taste of food (17%) and poor smell of food (8%) during the study. Nausea was associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing poor taste (50.0% v 12.3%, OR=7.13, P=.008) and smell (30.0% v 4.6%, OR=8.86, P=.016) of food. Poor taste of food was associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing poor appetite (35.0% v 10.9%, OR=12.43, P<.001). Participants were more likely to experience poor taste of food at any point in the study if they were being treated with denosumab (35.0% v 10.9%, OR=4.40, P=.020) or docetaxel (41.7% v 12.7%, OR=4.91, P=.022). Participants were more likely to experience ≥10% weight loss if experiencing poor taste of food (38.4% v 8.6%, OR=6.63, P=.010) or poor appetite (60.0% v 6.6%, OR=21.38, P<.001).
Clinicians should query patients for changes in taste and smell of food, especially if they are experiencing weight loss.
Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. 2021 Feb 10 [Epub ahead of print]
Sarah Alonzi, Michael Hoerger, Laura M Perry, Lydia D Chow, Charlotte Manogue, Patrick Cotogno, Emma M Ernst, Elisa M Ledet, Oliver Sartor
Department of Psychology, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA., Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Medicine (Oncology), and Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University, 6400 Freret Street, 2007 Percival Stern Hall, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA. ., Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA., Department of Internal Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA., Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA., Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA., Departments of Medicine and Urology, and Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.