Vol.95 No.11 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 95 No. 11 November 2002
Radiation-induced Taste Disorders in Head and
Neck Cancer Patients
Akira Inokuchi
(Saga Medical School)
Taste disorders caused by radiation therapy for head and neck cancer are common, but the details are still unclear. This paper reviews the time course, degree and character of radiation-induced taste disorders retrospectively. Radiation-induced taste disorders appeared one to two weeks after the start of radiotherapy (10-20 Gy), and reached maximum 4 to 5 weeks later (40 Gy). In the 40-70 Gy irradiation period, taste disorders persisted subjectively, but objective recognition thresholds tended to become lower, suggesting taste bud regeneration. Radiation-induced taste disorders recovered within 3 months after the termination of radiotherapy subjectively, and within 6 months objectively. Bitter taste was affected most. A loss of sweet taste depended upon whether the tip of tongue was included within the radiation field. The slope of the taste intensity performance did not change during and after radiotherapy. The main cause of taste disorders during radiation is the damage to the taste cell surface structures, and the effects of damages to the peripheral nervous system governing gustation and the salivary gland may be limited.
Key words : radiation to head and neck region, taste disorders, recognition threshold, supra-threshold taste intensity performance