Management and treatment of taste and smell alterations in oncologic patients undergoing antitumoral therapy and radiotherapy

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to investigate strategies to manage and treat taste and smell alterations in oncologic patients to minimize the effect these have on their quality of life and their nutritional model as well. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A scoping review was conducted, and the following international databases were consulted: PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Scopus. The scoping review process was conducted using Arksey & O’Malley’s framework. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were considered relevant and were divided into three macro areas: pharmacological interventions, aimed to manage and treat taste and smell alterations; nonpharmacological interventions and self-care strategies to adapt oneself as to not perceive the information provided by these senses and to accept the current situation as no reparatory interventions are available. CONCLUSIONS: Both dysgeusia and dysosmia require complex evaluations, the etiopathogenesis mechanisms are not yet completely known and there are no universal evaluation instruments available. A precocious evaluation of these symptoms needs to include the physical, psychological, and social spheres of patients. Healthcare staff plays a key role as they link the primary care and home care of these symptoms. Taste and smell disturbances are underestimated and are not the focus of enough studies, and it is, therefore, desirable that the future holds an enlargement in the number of studies regarding aetiology, objective and subjective evaluation, and application of interventions to prevent, treat and manage these symptoms.

Keywords

• cancer
• tumour
• chemotherapy
• radiotherapy
• cancer patients
• smell
• olfaction disorders