[Effect of taste perception on nutritional status in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review]

Introduction: breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women over 30 years of age. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can alter taste and smell, reducing appetite and potentially leading to weight loss, malnutrition, and decreased quality of life. These sensory changes may also affect treatment response. Objective: to explain how chemotherapy-induced taste changes impact the diet and nutritional status of women with breast cancer. Methodology: a review of reliable scientific articles was conducted using databases such as SciELO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Evidence-based studies in medicine and nutrition were included. Results: out of 19 articles analyzed, 58 % reported the prevalence of taste alterations in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, with rates ranging from 44 % to 93 %. Dysgeusia was reported in 68 % of patients treated with trastuzumab, 53 % with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide, and up to 80 % with taxanes. Most studies used validated questionnaires to assess taste changes, although no standard method exists. Some studies also reported changes in food preferences, appetite, and weight and evaluated interventions such as self-monitoring, educational sessions, and photobiomodulation, which showed positive effects in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. Conclusions: chemotherapy can alter taste perception in breast cancer patients, negatively affecting their nutrition and quality of life. Identifying and addressing these issues can help improve patients' food intake and treatment outcomes.