Exploring the impact of dysgeusia on sensory perception, appetite, and texture during oral nutritional supplement consumption in head and neck cancer and multiple myeloma patients

Dysgeusia, an altered taste perception commonly experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, significantly impacts their sensory perception, appetite, and compliance with oral nutritional supplements (ONS), essential for managing malnutrition. This unique study investigates how dysgeusia affects taste and texture perceptions during ONS consumption in this cohort, employing Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) methods to capture dynamic sensory responses. Sixty-one cancer patients (31 with dysgeusia, 30 without) evaluated five sequential sips of a neutral-flavoured ONS, rating taste and texture using CATA and assessing liking, thirst, hunger, and fullness on hedonic and Visual Analogue Scales.

Our findings indicate that dysgeusia patients reported heightened perceptions of sweet, caramel, vanilla, and creamy attributes, while non-dysgeusia patients favoured more fluid and neutral textures like runny and viscous. Dysgeusia patients consistently selected more intense flavours and smoother textures, correlating with reduced hunger and increased thirst across sips, suggesting a sensory-specific response to repeated ONS intake (p < 0.05). Notably, dysgeusia patients demonstrated a heightened perception for creamy and silky textures, potentially alleviating sensory discomfort associated with unpleasant metallic or bitter aftertastes. Dysgeusia also influenced fullness and hunger perceptions, impacting overall appetite regulation and adherence to ONS (p < 0.05).

The study underscores the importance of tailoring ONS formulations to accommodate the altered sensory profiles of cancer patients with dysgeusia, optimizing palatability to improve compliance and nutritional outcomes. Findings also highlight the utility of CATA and TDS in this cancer cohort, providing comprehensive insights into dynamic sensory perceptions and supporting the development of personalized nutritional interventions. This research contributes novel insights into the sensory experience of dysgeusia patients, emphasizing the need for enhanced ONS formulations to meet their unique nutritional requirements and improve their quality of life.