Chemotherapy-induced taste alteration in patients with cancer: current status and zinc intervention research progress

Zhai Junya; Zhang Xu; Ma Baihui; Shen Jing; Wang Shiyin; Lyu Quanjun; Zhang Yonglei; Tao Weili

doi:10.16689/j.cnki.cn11-9349/r.2026.03.017

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Electronic Journal of Metabolism and Nutrition of Cancer ›› 2026, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (3) : 444-449. DOI: 10.16689/j.cnki.cn11-9349/r.2026.03.017

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Chemotherapy-induced taste alteration in patients with cancer: current status and zinc intervention research progress

¹Zhai Junya, ¹Zhang Xu, ¹Ma Baihui, ²Shen Jing, ¹Wang Shiyin, ³Lyu Quanjun, ⁴Zhang Yonglei, ⁵Tao Weili

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Abstract

Chemotherapy-induced taste alteration (CITA) is one of the most common but often ignored side effects in cancer treatment. The change or loss of taste perception not only directly affects the patients' eating experience, but also seriously damages the patients' nutritional status and treatment through the chain reaction of "dysgeusia-decreased appetite-insufficient nutritional intake-weight loss-impaired immune function, tolerance, and quality of life". The incidence of CITA is high. CITA is not determined by one single factor, but is the result of the combined effects of treatment-related factors (chemotherapy drugs, chemotherapy cycles), patients' own characteristics (gender, age), concomitant symptoms (oral mucositis, dry mouth, nausea, etc.) and psychosocial factors (lack of social support, anxiety). As an essential trace element for the human body, zinc plays an irreplaceable role in the renewal, signal transduction, and repair of taste buds cells, while whether zinc supplements have a certain effect on CITA has attracted widespread attention from researchers. This review systematically summarizes the epidemiological status of CITA, the core role of zinc in taste physiology, the pathological mechanisms of zinc deficiency and taste damage caused by chemotherapy. It also comprehensively analyzes the evidence of clinical research on zinc intervention in CITA in recent years, looking forward to focusing on research directions and providing scientific basis for evaluation and treatment of CITA.

Key words

Cancer / Chemotherapy-induced taste alteration / Epidemic status / Risk factors / Influencing factors / Zinc insufficiency / Zinc supplement / Nutritional intervention / Review

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Zhai Junya, Zhang Xu, Ma Baihui, Shen Jing, Wang Shiyin, Lyu Quanjun, Zhang Yonglei, Tao Weili. Chemotherapy-induced taste alteration in patients with cancer: current status and zinc intervention research progress[J]. Electronic Journal of Metabolism and Nutrition of Cancer. 2026, 13(3): 444-449 https://doi.org/10.16689/j.cnki.cn11-9349/r.2026.03.017

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