Appetite perversions and taste changes triggered or abolished by radiotherapy.
Special questioning of 819 oncology patients whose treatment included radiotherapy has revealed 147 instances where local tumour radiation--apparently regardless of tumour type, site, or volume radiated-has either triggered (97 cases) or abolished (50 cases) an isolated appetite perversion. Both effects typically occur when a dose of about 500-1500 cGy has been reached and at a stage when little, if any, tumour regression is evident. No correlation can be seen with anorexia or with the usually recognised side effects of radiotherapy. Spontaneous return to normal is quite common in cases triggered by tumour treatment, but rare in cases starting before diagnosis. The latter may cease when the tumour is treated. The explanation for these highly selective and rapidly reversible aversions or cravings is totally obscure, but questioning large numbers of patients has provided certain clues, including frequent descriptions of an underlying change in taste or odour and also close links with two other equally unexplained phenomena--(1) alcohol intolerance in tumour patients and (2) the cravings and aversions of pregnancy.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001066:Appetite / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013649:Taste / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors