Fons Alexandria, Oreskovich Dolores, Prioult Guenolee, von der Weid Benoit, Lerea-Antes Jaclyn
Nestle Health Science, Bridgewater, NJ, 08807, USA.
Nestle Research, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Support Care Cancer. 2025 Aug 14;33(9):784. doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-09846-3.
Taste alterations (TAs) are a common and distressing side effect experienced by patients with cancer. They significantly impact patients' nutritional intake, quality of life (QoL), and treatment outcomes. This narrative review explores the prevalence, mechanisms, and clinical implications of TAs in patients with cancer.
An online bibliographic search was performed across multiple electronic databases, including Medline via PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science.
TAs were across all treatment modalities and in treatment-naïve cancer patients. It is hypothesized that the mechanisms contributing to the development of TAs are multifactorial and may be associated with cancer itself or its therapies. The mechanisms include direct cytotoxic effects of cancer treatments, disruption of regenerative pathways, salivary gland dysfunction, and systemic inflammation. However, the exact mechanisms remain poorly understood. The management of TAs requires a multifaceted approach, including counselling and pharmacological interventions. Tailored nutritional strategies, such as oral nutritional supplements with patient-preferred flavors, can help address some sensory challenges and improve adherence to nutritional intervention and nutritional status. However, depending on the affected sensory modality and its severity, many sensory-adapted flavors showed limited effectiveness. Taste enhancers targeting specific taste receptors offer promising solutions to restore palatability.
TAs are an underrecognized challenge in cancer patients despite their impact on nutritional status and QoL. Addressing TAs should be an integral component of supportive care in oncology to optimize nutritional and treatment outcomes, as well as improve QoL and prognosis.
味觉改变（TAs）是癌症患者常见且令人苦恼的副作用。它们会显著影响患者的营养摄入、生活质量（QoL）和治疗效果。本叙述性综述探讨了癌症患者味觉改变的患病率、机制及临床意义。
在多个电子数据库中进行在线文献检索，包括通过PubMed检索的Medline、Embase、Scopus和Web of Science。
味觉改变在所有治疗方式中以及未接受过治疗的癌症患者中均有出现。据推测，导致味觉改变发生的机制是多因素的，可能与癌症本身或其治疗方法有关。这些机制包括癌症治疗的直接细胞毒性作用、再生途径的破坏、唾液腺功能障碍和全身炎症。然而，确切机制仍知之甚少。味觉改变的管理需要多方面的方法，包括咨询和药物干预。量身定制的营养策略，如提供患者偏好口味的口服营养补充剂，有助于应对一些感官挑战，并提高对营养干预的依从性和营养状况。然而，根据受影响的感官模式及其严重程度，许多适应感官的口味效果有限。针对特定味觉受体的味觉增强剂为恢复适口性提供了有前景的解决方案。
尽管味觉改变对营养状况和生活质量有影响，但在癌症患者中仍是一个未得到充分认识的挑战。解决味觉改变问题应成为肿瘤支持治疗的一个组成部分，以优化营养和治疗效果，以及改善生活质量和预后。
