Taste and smell perception and quality of life during and after systemic therapy for breast cancer

• Published in: Breast cancer research and treatment Vol. 170; no. 1; pp. 27 - 34
• Main Authors: de Vries, Y. C., Boesveldt, S., Kelfkens, C. S., Posthuma, E. E., van den Berg, M. M. G. A., de Kruif, J. Th. C. M., Haringhuizen, A., Sommeijer, D. W., Buist, N., Grosfeld, S., de Graaf, C., van Laarhoven, H. W. M., Kampman, E., Winkels, R. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - complications; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - physiopathology; Cancer research; Cancer therapies; Care and treatment; Chemotherapy; Clinical Trial; Comparative analysis; Dysgeusia; Female; Health aspects; Herceptin; Humans; Immunotherapy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Monoclonal antibodies; Olfaction; Olfaction Disorders - chemically induced; Olfaction Disorders - epidemiology; Olfaction Disorders - pathology; Oncology; Quality of Life; Smell; Smell - drug effects; Smell - physiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Targeted cancer therapy; Taste; Taste - drug effects; Taste - physiology; Taste loss; Trastuzumab; Trastuzumab - administration & dosage; Trastuzumab - adverse effects; Women's health; Herceptin; Chemotherapy; Dysgeusia; Breast cancer; Taste; Taste loss; Trastuzumab; Quality of life; Smell
• ISSN: 0167-6806; 1573-7217
• DOI: 10.1007/s10549-018-4720-3

Purpose The purpose of the study was to assess self-reported taste and smell perception after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients compared with women without cancer, and to assess whether taste and smell perception is associated with quality of life after the end of chemotherapy. Methods We included 135 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who completed chemotherapy and 114 women without cancer. Questionnaires on taste, smell, and quality of life were completed shortly after and 6 months after chemotherapy (patients) or at two moments with 6 months’ time window in between (comparisons). Results Self-reported taste and smell perception were significantly lower in patients shortly after chemotherapy compared to the comparison group. Most patients recovered 6 months after chemotherapy, although patients who were still receiving trastuzumab then reported a lower taste and smell perception compared to patients who were not. A lower self-reported taste and smell were statistically significantly associated with a worse quality of life, social, emotional, and role functioning shortly after chemotherapy. Six months after chemotherapy, taste and smell were statistically significantly associated with quality of life, social and role functioning, but only in patients receiving trastuzumab. Conclusions Most taste and smell alterations recovered within 6 months after the end of chemotherapy for breast cancer, but not for patients receiving trastuzumab. These results highlight the importance of monitoring taste and smell alterations during and after treatment with chemotherapy and trastuzumab, as they may impact quality of life.