Influence of chemosensional disorders on taste preferences in cancer patients who are receiving oral nutrition supplements

Abstract

Chemosensory disorders (CSD) such as disorders of taste and smell are one of the causes of malnutrition in cancer patients. The aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of CSD on taste preferences in cancer patients receiving oral nutritional supplements (ONS). Material and methods. The procedure involves 100 oncological patients (26 men, 74 women; 57.0±1.2 years old). The taste preferences in these patients were assessed using a digital rating scale during ONS. All patients had cancer outside the head and neck area and underwent specific treatment. The functional status on the ECOG scale was 0-II. All patients had indications for DPP (ESMO scale >2 points). Patients were offered a mixture of sweet (banana, coffee, vanilla) and unsweetened (vegetable, chicken soup) tastes in a disposable 30 ml container. The patient was asked to take a sip and evaluate the smell, taste, strength of taste and density (consistency) of the sample on a digital rating scale from 0 to 5 points, where 0 - I do not feel, 5 - I feel excellent. The maximum possible number of points for each sample was 20. Results. Signs of CSD (score <10) were detected in 69% of patients [95% confidence interval (CI) 59.5-77.7]. In this group, the frequency of choosing unsweetened tastes for ONS was 59.4% (95% CI 47.5-70.8), sweet - 40.6% (95% CI 29.2-52.5). In the group of patients without signs of CSD, the frequency of choosing savory tastes was 29.0% (95% CI 14.1-46.7), sweet - 71.0% (95% CI 53.3-85.9) (р=0.0049). Conclusion. The presence of CSD significantly affects the taste preferences of cancer patients and significantly increases the likelihood of choosing products for ONS with unsweetened taste (unsweetened foods).