Taste and Smell Changes

Certain types of cancer and its treatment can change your senses of taste and smell. Common causes include:

• Certain kinds of tumors in the head and neck area
• Radiation to the head and neck area
• Certain kinds of chemotherapy and targeted therapy
• Mouth sores or dryness due to certain treatments
• Some medications used to help with side effects or other non-cancer problems

What to look for

Taste and smell changes can often affect your appetite. They might be described as:

• Not being able to smell things other people do, or noticing a reduced sense of smell.
• Noticing things smell different or certain smells are stronger
• Having a bitter or metallic taste in the mouth.
• Food tasting too salty or sweet.
• Food not having much taste.

Usually these changes go away after treatment ends, but sometimes they can last a long time.

What the patient and caregiver can do

• Try using plastic forks, spoons, and knives and glass cups and plates.
• Try sugar-free lemon drops, gum, or mints.
• Try fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned.
• Season foods with tart flavors. Use lemon wedges, lemonade, citrus fruits, vinegar, and pickled foods. (If you have a sore mouth or throat, do not do this.)
• Try flavoring foods with new tastes or spices (onion, garlic, chili powder, basil, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, BBQ sauce, mustard, ketchup, or mint).
• Counter a salty taste with added sweeteners, a sweet taste with added lemon juice and salt, and a bitter taste with added sweeteners.
• Rinse your mouth with a baking soda, salt, and water mouthwash before eating to help foods taste better. (Mix 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda in 4 cups of water. Shake well before swishing and spitting.)
• Keep your mouth clean and brush your teeth to help ease bad tastes.
• Serve foods cold or at room temperature. This can decrease the foods’ tastes and smells, making them easier to tolerate.
• Freeze fruits like cantaloupe, grapes, oranges, and watermelon, and eat them as frozen treats.
• Eat fresh vegetables. They may be more tempting than canned or frozen ones.
• Try marinating meats to make them tender.
• If red meats taste strange, try other protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, beans or peas, tofu, nuts, seeds, eggs, or cheese.
• Blend fresh fruits into shakes, ice cream, or yogurt.
• To reduce smells, cover beverages and drink through a straw; choose foods that don’t need to be cooked; and avoid eating in rooms that are stuffy or too warm.