ALTERTASTE: improving food pleasure and intake of oncology patients receiving chemotherapy

ALTERTASTE is a prospective study to evaluate changes intaste/flavor perception and food preferences in patients treated with adjuvant orneoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast orcolorectal cancer. The study adopts a longitudinal approach. Taste and odor responsiveness, food preferences and habits, emotions elicited by foods, and quality of life will be measured at six-time points: before chemotherapy (T0), after twocycles (T1, after around 1month), after fourcycles (T2, after around 2months), after sixcycles (T3, after around 4months), at the end of chemotherapy (T4, after around 6months)and 3months after the conclusion of the therapy (T5). In addition, patients will be characterized for oral responsiveness and theirpsychological traits and attitudes toward food. The ALTERTASTE trial is expected to improve the understanding ofthe impact of chemotherapy on taste and smell and the repercussions of these alterations on food behaviors. Furthermore, the trial aims to develop an easy and reliable procedure to test smell, taste and food behavior alterations to allow a routine measure with patients. Clinicaltrial registration: NCT04495387(ClinicalTrials.gov).