The role of saliva in taste dysfunction among cancer patients: Mechanisms and potential treatment

Two of the highest prevalent symptoms reported by cancer patients are taste dysfunction (17.6-93%) and dry mouth/xerostomia (40.4-93%). While it has been hypothesized that reduced saliva may impair taste function, few studies investigate the co-occurrence of taste and dry mouth symptoms in cancer patients. This review provides a summary of the physiological relationship between saliva and taste, focusing on taste transduction mechanism, regulation of the taste sensitivity, and protection of taste receptor cells, including the impact cancer treatments and malignancy on saliva function, salivary components, and the mechanisms in which it can negatively impact the taste function. Here, the authors present a scoping review of the recent literature reporting on the association between taste dysfunction and dry mouth in cancer patients, including reports of non pharmaceutical liposomal agents or drugs taken to improve dry mouth symptoms that also assess taste dysfunction. Considering the complexities of cancer and cancer treatment, understanding the physiological relationship between saliva and taste function may provide important insight into identifying treatments for alleviating taste dysfunction and dry mouth symptoms. There are substantial research gaps given the limited studies assessing the co-occurrence of taste loss and dry mouth and inconsistencies in the assessment of these symptoms. Clinical studies examining taste dysfunction will provide a foundational groundwork that will help understand the relationship between taste and saliva. Considering the increased rates in survivorship and the significant negative impact of taste dysfunction on quality of life, more research is needed to reduce the suffering of cancer patients.

Automated summary

Taste dysfunction and dry mouth are common symptoms in cancer patients. This review explores the physiological relationship between saliva and taste, as well as the impact of cancer treatments on saliva function and taste. It also summarizes the literature on the association between taste dysfunction and dry mouth in cancer patients, including the effects of treatments for dry mouth symptoms on taste function.