The impact of treatment-induced dysgeusia on the nutritional status of cancer patients

Malnutrition is a significant challenge among cancer patients, with 30%–85% being reported as malnourished. A decreased desire to consume food, driven in part by a reduction in sensory perception due to the interference of cancer therapy, is a significant driving force behind malnutrition experienced by cancer patients. Cancer treatment-induced dysgeusia, accompanied by fatigue, muscular degeneration, and altered body composition, reduces cancer patients' quality of life. This review aims to highlight the impact of treatment-induced dysgeusia and understand how it affects food intake and maintenance of nutritional status amongst cancer patients. One of the approaches towards preventing malnutrition can be to improve the prescription and consumption of oral nutrition supplements in pre-cachectic cancer patients. The second part of the review summarises the currently available and commonly prescribed oral nutritional supplements and their efficacy in managing malnutrition in cancer patients. The review summarises the impact of the nutritional challenges faced by cancer patients such as cancer pre-cachexia, dietary deficiencies, insufficient oral food intake, and changes in sensory taste perception, in order to develop a deeper understanding of their nutritional needs. It is also important to evaluate how the sensory taste perceptions are altered due to treatment, affecting food consumption and nutritional supplements leading to malnutrition. The review's findings underscore the need to analyse further the changes in sensory taste perceptions amongst cancer patients through qualitative research. Such research will inform the future development and prescription of a more effective nutritional intervention.