UTSA - The University of Texas at San Antonio

07/15/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/15/2025 03:13

UTSA researchers make gains in understanding taste loss

Loss of taste is a common side effect of chemotherapy, which often leads to loss of appetite and weight loss. The American Cancer Society describes the problem as manifesting in several ways - from a lack of smell and aversion to certain odors to a metallic or bitter taste accompanying some foods - all of which can lead to undereating, weight loss and delayed healing.

When patients are treated with chemotherapy drugs, it causes inflammation in the tongue and that leads to a lot of taste loss, said Victoria Valtr, an intern working in the lab.

"We're looking at how we can combat that," Valtr said. "We want to understand how inflammation is changing [their sense of taste] and we want to find a workaround to get these chemotherapy patients to have all their taste buds restored, to be able to taste food again and to improve their quality of life."

That is the ultimate goal of the project, she said. "But it starts on the molecular level, trying to understand the root cause of it."

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