Taste alteration for children receiving chemotherapy

Joint Event on 29^th International Conference on Pediatric Nursing & Healthcare & 31^st World Congress on Advanced Nursing Practice

August 16-17, 2018 | Madrid, Spain

Elif Bilsin

Gaziantep University, Turkey

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Adv Practice Nurs

Abstract :

Taste alteration is one of the most common and important problems in patients with cancer. Some patients were defined taste alteration as metallic, bitter or bad taste in the mouth, sensitivity, insensitivity to sweet taste and bitter taste intolerance. The etiologies of taste alteration are not fully known in patients with cancer. Cancer treatment influenced taste alteration by physiological and psychological causes. In patients with cancer, loss of appetite, dislike of some foods, change in food preferences, inadequate feeding, inadequate energy intake, weight loss, malnutrition, poor prognosis, reduced quality of life, stress, depression, dryness of the mouth, prolonged hospital stay, impaired smell, deterioration of the immune system and reduction compliance to treatment regimen develops as a result of taste alteration. Direct measures of taste function are by way of assessing taste sensitivity and perceived taste intensity in relation to the five basic tastes. Taste alterations are difficult to measure and treat in patients with cancer. It has been determined that there is a lack of supportive strategies based on evidence taste alteration to describe, classify and manage these problems. It has been determined that prophylactic treatments are not successful. For this reason, the management of taste alteration remains a problem in care and treatment of patients with cancer.

Biography :