Prospective evaluation of taste function in patients receiving IMRT for head and neck cancer

The majority of patients with head and neck cancer experience taste dysfunction (TD) during or after radiotherapy. However, prospectively collected data on TD have been limited, especially in the era of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). A prospective cohort study at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taiwan) found that most patients receiving IMRT for head and neck cancer experienced taste dysfunction during and at 3 months after IMRT, while only a few patients experienced long-term taste dysfunction. Higher oral cavity dose was associated with higher percentage of patients withTD. Reducing oral cavity dose may promote early recovery of taste function after IMRT.