Chemosensory dysfunctions (CD) are symptoms often experienced by cancer patients. Albeit common, these symptoms lack guidelines for management and are rarely addressed by healthcare providers, and therefore, how taste and smell dysfunctions affect quality of life in cancer patients is understudied. To address this gap, we analyzed data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The sample included 3,654 subjects (mean±SD: 68±13 years, range:18-99 years; 58% F; 85% non-hispanic white) who self-reported having cancer and self-assessed whether they had difficulty tasting, difficulty smelling, and reported life satisfaction (binary) in the last 12 months. 20.3% reported smell dysfunction (n=741; 70±12 years; 49% F) and 11.9% reported taste dysfunction (n=435; 70±12 years; 52% F), and 9% reported both smell and taste dysfunction (n=330; 71±12 years; 51% F). After adjusting for age and sex, a logistic regression revealed that cancer patients reporting difficulty tasting had 64% decreased odds of reporting life satisfaction compared to those who did not report difficulty tasting (z=-6.3, p<0.0001, CI[.27,.50]). Similarly, cancer patients reporting difficulty smelling had 43% decreased odds of reporting life satisfaction compared to those who did not report trouble smelling (z=-3.7, p<0.0001, CI[.43,.77]). Considering that the prevalence of CD is often underestimated when measured with self-reports, we consider this a conservative scenario to test the hypothesis that CD is associated with decreased life satisfaction in cancer. These findings call for a serious assessment of CD in cancer patients to improve quality of life.
Victoria Esparza1, Vicente Ramirez1, Alissa Nolden2, Kara Stromberg 3, Valentina Parma 1
1Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia , PA, United States
2University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst , MA, United States
3Fox Chase Cancer Center , Philadelphia , PA, United States
