Baseline Dysgeusia in Chemotherapy-Naïve Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Association with Nutrition and Quality of Life

Abstract

Purpose: Dysgeusia can be found in 50% of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Nonetheless, dysgeusia can be present in treatment-naïve patients, and may negatively impact nutrition and quality of life.

Methods: Treatment-naïve non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was assessed for dysgeusia using a self-reporting questionnaire and a rinse stimuli technique. Patients were evaluated in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQL) using the EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire and in terms of nutrition using the subjective global assessment (SGA), energy consumption and body composition.

Results: Among 65 treatment-naïve patients, dysgeusia was self-reported in 35%. Using the rinse stimuli technique, most of the patients perceived taste stimuli with a minimal concentration, but could not recognize the taste. Patients with dysgeusia presented significantly less lean-body mass (P = 0.027), and higher fat mass (P = 0.027). Additionally, these patients had significantly more gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea (P = 0.042), anorexia (P = 0.004), and early satiety (P < 0.0001). Dysgeusia was also associated with less food consumption (P = 0.010). Last, patients with dysgeusia had clinically-significant alterations in HRQL scales.

Conclusion: Presence of dysgeusia in NSCLC patients before undergoing chemotherapy is associated with worse nutritional outcomes. The routine assessment of dysgeusia in treatment-naïve patients should be encouraged to timely assess and follow nutritional parameters.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Authors’ contributions

Jenny Georgina Turcott

1. Substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.

2. Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

3. Final approval of the version to be published.

Eva Juárez Hernandez

1. Substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.

Karla Sánchez Lara

1. Substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.

Diana Flores Estrada

1. Substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.

Zyanya Lucía Zatarain Barrón

1. Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

2. Final approval of the version to be published.

Oscar Arrieta

1. Substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.

2. Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

3. Fnal approval of the version to be published.

Additional information

Funding

The source of financial support was performed by the Thoracic Oncology Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología de México, Mexico City, Mexico.