The effect of chemotherapy on olfactory function and mucociliary clearance

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Rhinology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Olfactory function relies on sensory neurons and nasal mucosa.
• Chemotherapy's impact on nasal mucosal toxicity is largely unassessed.
• Understanding chemotherapy's effects on olfaction is crucial for patient quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively assess chemotherapy's effect on mucociliary clearance and olfactory function.
• To compare these effects across different chemotherapy regimens.
• To evaluate age-related differences in chemotherapy-induced olfactory and mucociliary changes.

Main Methods:

• 30 cancer patients (excluding head/neck and brain) were evaluated pre- and post-chemotherapy.
• Mucociliary clearance assessed using the saccharine test.
• Olfactory function evaluated with the Sniffin' Sticks test (OT, OD, OI, TDI).
• Patients grouped by chemotherapy regimen (CA, Folfox, DCF, GC) and age (<55, >55).

Main Results:

• Overall, significant deterioration in mucociliary clearance and olfactory scores (OT, OD, OI, TDI) was observed.
• No significant differences in deterioration were found between chemotherapy groups.
• Younger patients (<55 years) showed a more pronounced decrease in olfactory threshold and TDI scores.

Conclusions:

• Chemotherapy adversely affects both mucociliary clearance and olfactory function in cancer patients.
• This impairment may result from direct cytotoxic effects on the nasal mucosa, in addition to neurotoxicity.
• Younger patients exhibited a greater reduction in olfactory function, potentially due to initially higher scores.