At-Home Taste Steering to Improve Food Enjoyment in Adults Undergoing Chemotherapy for Specific Cancers A Multicentre Randomized Trial in the Netherlands

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effect of at-home taste steering compared to standard care on food enjoyment in patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer, metastatic testicular cancer, or stage II-IV diffuse large B cell lymphoma who are undergoing chemotherapy. This multicentre randomized intervention trial uses a parallel cluster design across 12 hospitals in the Netherlands to prevent bias from patient contact within the same hospital. The study measures outcomes before chemotherapy begins, at the onset of taste or smell alterations, and after 6 weeks. Participants in the experimental group will use taste steering techniques at home while the control group receives usual care. Questionnaires are completed online from home, and taste and smell tests plus saliva collection are done either at home or during regular hospital visits. Both groups will have contact with their dietitian every 3 weeks. The intervention lasts 6 weeks, based on prior experience indicating the taste steering algorithm saturates after 3-4 weeks. During the study, participants will complete assessments of food enjoyment, health-related quality of life, taste and smell function, saliva secretion, and body weight. These are measured at baseline, at the time taste or smell changes occur, and after 6 weeks. Researchers will also monitor risk of malnutrition and dry mouth feeling. The total participation period covers the 6-week intervention and associated follow-up assessments.

The TASTY-steering Study