Data_Sheet_1_The impact of changes in taste, smell, and eating behavior in children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy: A qualitative study.pdf

Background and aimsTaste changes are the third most common bothersome symptom during treatment in children with cancer. However, it is still unclear what the essence of these taste changes are, to what degree concomitant changes in sense of smell qualify this bothersome treatment symptom and how much of an impact these changes have on the life of children with cancer. The aim of this study was to explore characteristics of both taste and smell changes and to gain insight into the impact of these changes in children with cancer receiving chemotherapy.
MethodsSemi-structured interviews were performed until data saturation was achieved in each age group (6–12, 13–17 years). This resulted in an in-depth description of taste and smell changes, including its impact on the life of 27 children with various cancer types receiving chemotherapy. Thematic analysis of interview data was performed.
ResultsInterview data could be grouped into three main themes, namely changes in (1) taste, (2) smell, and (3) eating behavior. As expected, most children reported experiencing taste and smell changes just after start of treatment, but changes varied greatly between children; that is, some reported changes in intensity (increased or decreased), whereas others reported different perceptions or preferences (from sweet to savory). Taste and smell changes (regardless of direction) negatively impacted quality of life, with these changes commonly described as “disappointing” or “frustrating.” Interestingly, particular chemotherapeutic agents were frequently mentioned regarding taste and smell changes, prompting sensory-specific coping strategies. Children's eating behavior changed in terms of alterations in food liking and appetite, sometimes due to chemosensory changes, but children also mentioned specific medication or hospital food being responsible for their altered eating behavior.
ConclusionsBoth taste and smell changes are common in children with cancer. The essence of these changes varies widely, but taste and smell changes are generally considered bothersome treatment symptoms. Ways to cope with taste or smell changes specifically were described by the children warranting further research and offering the opportunity for enhancing patient-centered care.

研究背景与目的：味觉改变是癌症患儿治疗期间第三大常见困扰症状。然而目前仍未明确此类味觉改变的本质、伴随的嗅觉改变在多大程度上加重了该治疗相关困扰症状，以及此类改变对癌症患儿生活的影响程度。本研究旨在探讨接受化疗的癌症患儿的味觉与嗅觉改变特征，并深入解析此类改变对患儿生活的影响。
研究方法：针对6–12岁、13–17岁两个年龄组，采用半结构化访谈直至各年龄组达到数据饱和。最终对27名罹患不同癌症类型且接受化疗的患儿的味觉与嗅觉改变及其生活影响进行了深入描述，并对访谈数据开展主题分析。
研究结果：访谈数据可归纳为三大核心主题，即（1）味觉改变、（2）嗅觉改变，以及（3）进食行为改变。与预期一致，多数患儿自述在治疗伊始即出现味觉与嗅觉改变，但个体间差异显著：部分患儿报告感知强度发生变化（增强或减弱），其余患儿则自述感知或饮食偏好发生改变（如从喜食甜食转向偏好咸鲜口味）。无论改变方向如何，味觉与嗅觉改变均对生活质量产生负面影响，患儿普遍将此类改变描述为“令人失望”或“令人沮丧”。值得注意的是，部分化疗药物常被提及与味觉及嗅觉改变相关，促使患儿采取感官特异性应对策略。患儿进食行为的改变体现在食物喜好与食欲的变化，此类改变有时源于化学感官改变，但患儿也提及特定药物或医院餐食是其进食行为改变的诱因。
研究结论：味觉与嗅觉改变在癌症患儿中较为常见。此类改变的本质差异显著，但普遍被视为令人困扰的治疗相关症状。患儿自述的针对味觉或嗅觉改变的特定应对方式，值得进一步研究，同时也为提升以患者为中心的照护提供了可行方向。