title: Buccal mucosal cancer patient who failed to recover taste acuity after partial oral cavity irradiation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report a patient who suffered from prolonged loss of taste acuity after partial oral cavity irradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The electric taste threshold (ETT) of each point in the oral cavity was measured with an electric gustometer to evaluate quantitative local taste acuity. A subjective total taste acuity (STTA) scale was used to evaluate subjective total taste acuity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 61-year-old male patient with right buccal mucosal cancer underwent radiation therapy more than 11 years ago, and has suffered from loss of taste acuity since then. He received electron beam irradiation to part of the oral cavity and right upper neck, mainly the right buccal mucosa near the retromolar trigone and a metastatic right submandibular node. He did not receive irradiation to the anterior portion of the tongue or left side of the posterior portion of the tongue. His ETT scores for each point were equal to or greater than 26, and his STTA score was grade 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present case implies that radiation damage to part of the oral cavity can cause the loss of subjective total taste acuity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nihon University Surugadai Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kawamori
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furuhashi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshinobu
authors.forename: Motoichiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*