Presentation Details
| Don Tucker Finalist: Miraculin (miracle berry) as a potential mitigation to improve taste perception in head & neck cancer patients Nidhi Jha1, Lauren Gastineau1, Joanne Xu1, Apoorva Ramaswamy1, Lauren Miller1, Christopher Simmons2, Kai Zhao1. 1The Ohio State University Department of Otolaryngology, Columbus, OH, USA.2The Ohio State University Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Columbus, OH, USA |
Abstract
Head & neck cancer patients frequently experience taste alterations due to treatment. Oral zinc & baking soda rinses are insufficient. This study aimed to evaluate whether miracle berry (MB) may serve as an effective intervention for taste dysfunction. We conducted a preliminary, prospective, self-controlled study including 19 patients diagnosed with HNC who had undergone radiation (avg. 3647 Gy), surgery, and/or chemotherapy (avg. 4.94). Participants completed the MD Anderson Head and Neck Symptom Inventory (MDASI-HN) and the extended NIH Toolbox Taste Test assessing sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy solutions. Confidence, intensity, and pleasantness were rated.14/19 patients self-reported loss; however, objective identification differed only for bitter taste, which was correctly identified by 5/14 patients with self-reported loss, compared to 4/5 patients without loss. Following intake, patients correctly identified sweet solutions (15 vs. 17), with reduced identification accuracy for other tastes. Overall identification scores did not significantly change (3.06 2.8, p=0.72). MB intake was associated with decreased intensity of sweet (60 vs 38.1, p<0.05) & spicy (72.6 vs 47.5, p<0.05), and increased intensity of bitter (31.5 vs 57.2, p<0.05). Sweet pleasantness significantly decreased post-MB (78.2 vs 48.75, p<0.05). Confidence identifying bitter increased following MB (40.8 vs 62.2), while confidence identifying spicy decreased (80 vs 52.5, p<0.05). Baseline taste intensity correlated with lack of appetite (r=-0.50, p<0.05). Dry mouth significantly correlated with baseline & MB intensity; & MB taste identification (r=-0.42, -0.51, -0.48; p<0.05). This shows that while MB produces shifts in taste identification, changes in subjective measures are complex and variable.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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