Does chemotherapy affect one's palette? How did it af-fect yours, or someone you know? For the worse? For the better?

-Chemotherapy can affect an individual's ability to taste. Some patients are affected little, if at all, while others are profoundly affected, losing interest in familiar foods and drinks. This may not be entirely due to the drugs being used but may also be strongly affected by the stress the patient is under. If you or someone near you is experiencing this it might be worthwhile for you to talk with a nutrionist who has experience in dealing with chemotherapy patients. The attending physician or your local hospital should be able to put you in touch with a suitable nutritionist or dietician.

-I had chemotherapy through the autumn, 6 one-week rounds of 5FU with FA daily, spaced at four week intervals. My palate was definitely affected. I had an 'off taste' in my mouth 24/7 and especially overnight. My sense of taste for foods and wine was deadened, and somewhat distorted by the off taste. I tended to overeat in a search for enjoyment of the taste of foods. the effects were most pronounced towards the end of each treatment week and the following ten days.

Sweetness was the least distorted. Spiciness was the most deadened. Sense of smell was also slightly, but only slightly, diminished. That was frustrating because I could smell how wonderful everything was, but not get the enjoyment of the accompanying taste sensation.

One explanation is that chemotherapy affects the fast-growing cells of the body. Cancer cells are fast-growing, so that makes sense. The drugs I had were designed to be readily taken up by fast-growing cells, and I suspect that is true of many chemotherapy drugs.

Among the fast-growing normal body cells and the chemotherapy effects on them are hair follicles (so hair goes curly, or falls out), mucus linings
(bowel irregularities, and an unpleasantly different quality and quantity of gas - sorry but it is true and the whole family will come to realize it) skin (dryness, itchiness) and blood cells (anaemia and listlessness - red, susceptibility to infections and viruses - white, and susceptibility to bruising and bleeding - platelets).

The cells of the cheeks, gums, and tongue are also affected, which contributes to the off taste and other changes. Part of it is simply that dead cheek cells are sloughing off, part is because saliva production is diminished, and part of it can be from mouth sores developing.