High prevalence of olfactory dysfunction detected in treatment-naive patients with head and neck cancer

Previous studies demonstrated the difficulty of patients with Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) in sensing food taste, a function in which olfaction has a significant role. However, neither study employed psychophysical tests or control groups to establish the veracity of such complaints.

In this study, we quantitatively tested the olfactory function of HNC individuals and compared their function to that of healthy controls.

Thirty-one HNC naïve treatment patients and thirty-one controls, matched for sex, age, schooling, and smoking, were tested with the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT).

The olfactory function was significantly worse among the patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer [UPSIT cancer = 22.9(CI 95%: 20.5-25.4) vs. UPSIT controls = 29.1(CI 95%: 26.9-31.3); p < .001]. Most patients with HNC had olfactory disorders (n = 29, 93.5%). The risk of olfactory loss was higher in the cancer group [OR: 10.5(CI 95%: 2.1-51.9; p = .001)].

Olfactory disorders can be detected in more than 90% of patients with head and neck cancer when evaluated using a well-validated olfactory test. Smell disorders may be a potential marker for early diagnosis of HNC.