Taste alterations in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: an observational study

Background: Taste alterations are a common adverse effect of chemotherapy and may substantially impair quality of life, social interactions, and dietary habits. Reported incidence rates vary widely, partly due to the heterogeneity of assessment methods. This study aimed to investigate chemotherapy-induced taste alterations in patients with breast cancer using both objective (taste strips) and subjective (questionnaire-based) measures. Materials and methods: This was a prospective study conducted between July 2023 and June 2025 at the Candiolo Cancer Institute FPO-IRCCS, in Torino (Italy). Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric variables, and dietary habits were collected. Taste alterations were evaluated using both subjective and objective assessment tools (taste strips). Results: = 0.046), based on subjective assessment. Conclusion: Taste alterations affect a substantial proportion of patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The low agreement observed between subjective and objective measures suggests that these methods may assess distinct aspects of taste dysfunction and should be interpreted accordingly.