title: Cancer chemotherapy: sometimes takes the pleasure out of eating.
abstract: (1) In June 2006 the French National Cancer Institute published the results of a survey of eating difficulties among 1843 patients receiving cancer chemotherapy; (2) More than one-third of patients said they had less appetite than before ("far less" in 13% of cases). About half of patients said they had noticed a change in their sensation of thirst; (3) Half of patients who had been receiving treatment for at least 6 months said they had lost weight; (4) Half of patients found food tasted different. 43% of patients found certain odours unbearable, especially perfumes and tobacco. One-third of patients said the smell of the treatment room made them nauseous. Many patients found mealtimes unpleasant, sometimes even a source of anxiety; (5) In practice, these eating difficulties should be taken into account when assessing the risk-benefit balance of cancer treatments. When a treatment needs to be pursued, patients should be helped to find ways of making food more palatable, the treatment room should be well ventilated, and perfumes should not be used.
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000523:psychology; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology; D005602:France; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000187:drug effects*; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D012903:Smell; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D013894:Thirst / Q000187:drug effects*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D015431:Weight Loss; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology