Hypnosis for Antineoplastic‐Related Taste Disturbance in a Patient With Metastatic Breast Cancer

Taste disturbances are prominent side effects of antineoplastic medications and contribute to morbidity and quality-of-life impairment. Few treatment options are available for antineoplastic-related taste disorders. Hypnosis has been found to be effective for a variety of symptoms in the cancer setting, including insomnia, pain, mood disorders and anxiety. Numerous somatosensory perceptual changes have been observed with hypnosis, including perception of tactile stimuli and color. Here, we report a case of a 74-year-old woman with recurrent metastatic breast cancer presenting with an 18-month history of antineoplastic-related hypogeusia. She was treated with hypnosis and reported resolution of taste symptoms after 10 days of daily practice. Her improvement seems to be related to hypnotic changes in somatosensory perception, which may be associated with functional alterations in salience, executive control and default mode networks during hypnosis. Further investigation of hypnosis for antineoplastic-related taste disturbances is indicated.