Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Alberta Cancer Foundation - Research (bridge funding)

Taste and smell changes are a common and distressing for cancer patients, and are associated with decreased food consumption, declining nutritional well-being and reduced quality of life and food enjoyment. For head and neck cancer patients, taste and smell changes are at their greatest just as treatment ends, and along with other symptoms, interfere with their ability to resume eating everyday foods and share meals with friends and family. The way that tastes and smells change (e.g. stronger, weaker, 'just different') and the way that these changes influence what foods are liked is unknown. This research will characterize taste and smell changes experienced by head and neck cancer patients during and after treatment and will be related to their food choices, nutritional well-being and quality of life. Interviews with patients will allow them to describe the way that they managed their symptoms to eventually return to their usual eating and drinking. The results of this research will improve support for patients who have head and neck cancer by improving the practices, support and resources that lead to a successful return to eating, as well as to develop new strategies to help patients cope with the eating challenges that remain.