The influence of radiation dose on taste impairment in a prospective observational study cohort of oropharyngeal cancer patients

Authors

  • Sonja Stieb Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Radiation Oncology KSA-KSB, Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
  • Grete M. Engeseth Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
  • Abdallah S. R. Mohamed Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • Renjie He Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • Ismael Perez-Martinez Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • Stockton Rock Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • Tanaya S. Deshpande Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • Adam S. Garden Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • David I. Rosenthal Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • Steven J. Frank Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • G. Brandon Gunn Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
  • C. David Fuller Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1080/0284186X.2021.2022204

Keywords:

Head and neck neoplasms, oropharyngeal cancer, taste, radiotherapy

Abstract

Background

To analyze the influence of radiation dose on late radiation-associated taste impairment in oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using the taste bud bearing tongue mucosa as organ at risk.

Material and methods

This study is part of an ongoing, prospective observational study. Cancer-free OPC survivors with at least 24 months from IMRT were included in this analysis. Scores for taste impairment and dry mouth were extracted from the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory Head and Neck module (MDASI-HN) with scores of ≥5 considered as moderate-to-severe symptoms. The mean dose, minimum and maximum dose to the taste bud bearing tongue mucosa, the ipsi- and contralateral parotid and submandibular glands were extracted and analyzed for correlation with moderate-to-severe taste impairment.

Results

One hundred sixteen T1–4 OPC patients were included (81% males, median age: 55). The primary tumor was in the tonsil in 92 cases (79%) and in the base of tongue in 21 cases (18%). Patients were treated with 64.2–72.0 Gy; 37 patients (32%) received concurrent chemotherapy and 22 (19%) concurrent targeted therapy. After a median of 58 months from RT (IQR: 43–68) 38 patients (33%) suffered from moderate-to-severe long-term radiation-associated taste impairment. No dose volume parameter of the taste bud bearing tongue mucosa and the salivary glands was significantly associated with moderate-to-severe taste impairment for the whole patient cohort. For patients without concurrent chemotherapy, the minimum and mean dose to the ipsilateral parotid gland, and the maximum dose to the submandibular gland was significantly associated with late taste impairment (all p < 0.05). A significant correlation was found between taste impairment and dry mouth (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The dose to the ipsilateral parotid gland seems to play an important role in the development of late taste impairment. The influence of dose to the taste bud bearing tongue mucosa remains unclear and needs further investigation.

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Additional Files

Published

2022-02-01

How to Cite

Stieb, S., Engeseth, G. M., Mohamed, A. S. R., He, R., Perez-Martinez, I., Rock, S., … David Fuller, C. (2022). The influence of radiation dose on taste impairment in a prospective observational study cohort of oropharyngeal cancer patients. Acta Oncologica, 61(2), 145–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/0284186X.2021.2022204

Issue

Vol. 61 No. 2 (2022): Acta Oncologica

Section

Articles