Radiation-Related Alterations of Taste Function in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Opinion statementTaste sensation is vital for a healthy body as it influences our food intake, acts as a defense mechanism and elicits pleasure. Majority of the head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy suffer from altered taste function and often complain of inability to taste their food, reduced food intake, and weakness. However, there are not many studies conducted to assess this commonly reported side effect. Furthermore, clinical research on radiotherapy-induced taste alterations has proven to be difficult, considering a lack of reliable and validated study tools for assessing objective and subjective outcomes. Developing standardized tools for assessment of taste function and conducting prospective studies in larger population of HNC is the need of the hour. Taste sensation being critically important for sustenance, we need to focus on ways to preserve it. The physical properties of proton particle enable localization of the radiation dose precisely to the tumor and minimizing the exposure of the adjacent healthy tissues. By using Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy in HNC patients, we anticipate preserving the taste sensation by reducing the dose of radiation to the taste buds.

Investigating the effect of dental implant materials with different densities on radiotherapy dose distribution using Monte-Carlo simulation and pencil beam convolution algorithm

“…29 However, the proton radiotherapy is currently being used for cancer management and allows less adjacent healthy tissue exposure with establishing minimized side-effects especially in salivary glands and taste buds compared to photon radiotherapy. 30…”

<p>Efficacy and Safety of Iodine-125 Brachytherapy in the Treatment of Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma</p>

“…23 Because the head and neck are adjacent to the pituitary gland, eye lens, temporal lobe, brain stem, and spinal cord, the ability to further increase the external dose is limited. In current precise radiotherapy, such as IMRT, 24 IGRT, 25,26 and SBRT, 27 the side effects of radiotherapy remain unavoidable, such as swallowing and voice dysfunction, 28 skin toxicity, 29 oral mucositis, 30 altered taste function, 31 and xerostomia. 32 Owing to the high cost of molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy, many patients with R/M HNSCC are unable to afford this treatment.…”

Effects of Radiation on Protein

“…Unlike other radiotherapy technologies, proton therapy has a Bragg peak, which can reduce the dose reaching adjacent healthy tissue, thereby minimizing side effects. Therefore, the use of IMPT in oropharyngeal or head and neck cancer can not only improve the tumor control rate, but also reduce the radiation dose to the taste buds and other oral structures [22,23].…”