Learned food aversions among cancer chemotherapy patients. Incidence, nature, and clinical implications.
The current study documents the incidence of chemotherapy-related food aversions in defined patient populations and characterizes selected aspects of the problem. The association between the incidence of food aversions and patient outcome was also evaluated. Seventy-six primarily breast and lung cancer patients were interviewed before and at stipulated time points for 6 months after their initial course of chemotherapy. Learned food aversions (LFA) were documented via open-ended questionnaires and ratings for foods ingested during the 48-hour period surrounding the first day of treatment. Treatment-related aversions were observed in over 50% of the patients and involved all food groups. The aversions generally occurred shortly after the first course of chemotherapy, were food-specific and of short duration. No strong association was observed between the incidence of food aversions and treatment outcome measures, but quality of life issues warrant further consideration.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents