Reuk- en smaakveranderingen bij kinderen met kanker

Children with cancer experience chemosensory changes (i.e., changes in their sense of taste and smell) during the course of treatment. Irradiation of head and neck, and administration of chemotherapeutic agents induce these changes. This is an often overlooked but still important treatment symptom as it contributes to poor food intake which in turn may cause malnutrition and affect prognosis. The central aim of this project is to elucidate smell and taste changes in childhood cancer patients during - and after chemotherapy. Furthermore, consequences of smell and taste changes regarding dietary intake, eating behavior, anthropometry, and quality of life will be assessed . The reasons for examining children with cancer (as opposed to adults) are that (1) there is very little known of the impact cancer treatment has on children’s sense of taste and smell and how this affects food intake and food preferences directly and on the longer term; (2) dietary habits and flavour preferences are still developing in children and thus the impact of chemotherapy-induced smell and taste changes is, presumably, much larger in childhood cancer patients.

Smell and taste function change during chemotherapy consequently affecting 1) dietary intake 2) eating behavior 3) anthropometry 4) quality of life

4 1) 6 weeks after start of chemotherapy 2) 3 months after start of chemotherapy 3) 6 months after start of chemotherapy 4) 3 months after stop of chemotherapy

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