Abstract
Purpose: Sensory alterations and oral manifestations are prevalent among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. While taste and smell alterations have been thoroughly investigated, studies on their oral somatosensory perception remain limited. Building upon our previous publication that primarily focused on objective somatosensory measurements, the present work examined self-reported sensory perception, including somatosensation and oral symptoms, in HNC patients and evaluated their link with eating behaviour. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-reported questionnaires on sensory perception, oral symptoms, sensory-related food preference, and eating behaviour among HNC patients (n = 30). Hierarchical clustering analysis was performed to categorise patients based on their sensory perception. Correlations between oral symptoms score, sensory perception, sensory-related food preference, and eating behaviour were explored. Results: Two distinct sensory profiles of patients were identified: no alteration (n = 14) and alteration (n = 16) group. The alteration group showed decreased preference towards several sensory modalities, especially the somatosensory. Concerning eating behaviour, more patients in the alteration group agreed to negatively connotated statements (e.g. having food aversion and eating smaller portions), demonstrating greater eating difficulties. In addition, several oral symptoms related to salivary dysfunction were reported. These oral symptoms were correlated with sensory perception, sensory-related food preference, and eating behaviour. Conclusion: This study presented evidence demonstrating that sensory alterations in HNC patients are not limited to taste and smell but cover somatosensory perception and are linked to various aspects of eating. Moreover, patients reported experiencing several oral symptoms. Those with sensory alterations and oral symptoms experienced more eating difficulties.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
---|---|
Artikelnummer | 320 |
Tidsskrift | Supportive Care in Cancer |
Vol/bind | 32 |
Udgave nummer | 5 |
Antal sider | 10 |
ISSN | 0941-4355 |
DOI | |
Status | Udgivet - 2024 |
Bibliografisk note
Funding Information:Open access funding provided by Copenhagen University A funding contribution was provided by the National Association for Research and Technology (Association Nationale Recherche et Technologie), Danone Nutricia Research, and National League Against Cancer (Ligue Contre le Cancer), yet the content of the work is the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank Dr. Elife Eker and Dr. Ariane Lapierre (radiotherapy service, Hospices Civils de Lyon), M\u00E9lanie Roche, David Dayde, Justine Dubreuil, and Eloise Aubret for their support in the recruitment of the patients as well as Alexandre Valenti, Justine Prigent, and M\u00E9linda Cherruault-Anouge for their assistance in the data collection.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.