Mary Lappe, RN, BSN, OCN® [Oncology nurse clinician]Oncology Specialists, S.C
AbstractPurpose/Objectives-To describe factors related to taste changes, to examine patients' use of a self-care suggestion sheet to manage taste changes associated with chemotherapy, and to identify potentially useful strategies for managing specific taste changes after chemotherapy.Design-Quasi-experimental, pre/post design.
Setting-Four outpatient urban and suburban oncology centers in Illinois.Sample-42 patients who had received at least two cycles of chemotherapy previously identified to be associated with taste changes.Methods-Pre-and postintervention survey of taste changes; patient education regarding self-care for taste changes.Main Research Variables-Taste changes, taste change strategies, and self-care.Findings-Most patients that reported taste changes had affected their ability to eat. Taste changes and strategies varied somewhat according to chemotherapy regimen. Avoiding strong-smelling ortasting foods, eating blander foods, drinking more water with foods, oral care before eating, and eating smaller, more frequent meals were reported to help.Conclusions-Taste changes are common in patients receiving cisplatin, carboplatin, or cyclophosphamide. At-risk patients may benefit from prechemotherapy teaching regarding specific taste change management suggestions. Use of a taste change suggestion sheet encouraged self-care, No financial relationships to disclose.
NIH Public Access
Author ManuscriptOncol Nurs Forum. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 June 29.
Published in final edited form as:Oncol Nurs Forum. 2009 March ; 36(2): E47-E56.
NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript and counseling patients regarding strategies to deal with taste changes may help them during chemotherapy.Implications for Nursing-Nurses should incorporate patient education tools that promote selfcare regarding the management of taste changes in patients with known factors that could affect taste early in their chemotherapy.Chemotherapy agents can cause a wide range of adverse effects. One such cluster of manifestations that has gained greater attention in the literature is taste changes, which typically are described by severity, distress, and effects on usual activities. For instance, 38%-77% of patients with cancer have reported significant taste changes after receiving chemotherapy
Through use of a qualitative ethological approach, observations of 17 children who were undergoing 44 painful procedures during cancer diagnosis or treatment were videotaped and analyzed. The children, aged 4 to 18 years, were part of a larger study testing the effectiveness of nonpharmacologic pain management techniques. Analysis of the videotaped observations revealed that several distinct patterns of conversation between caregivers, parents, and children varied greatly among situations. Both child-centered and nonchild-centered communications were demonstrated. During periods of quiet, nonchild-centered behaviors increased. As a child's distress increased, parents actively changed behaviors to redirect verbal support back to the child and to the pain control interventions. Nurses' encouraging parents to be actively involved and physically close during painful treatments may results in less distress and discomfort for the child. In addition, health care professionals need to be aware of the various patterns of child-parent-caregiver interactions and the need to stay focused on the child during painful procedures to enhance the child's ability to cope.
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