PP441 - EVALUATION OF TASTE DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH INOPERABLE BASAL CELL CARCINOMA TREATED WITH VISMODEGIB

PP441

EVALUATION OF TASTE DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH INOPERABLE BASAL CELL CARCINOMA TREATED WITH VISMODEGIB

I. Łasińska^1,2,*, J. Mackiewicz^1,3

¹Department of Medical and Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, ²Department of Nursing, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, ³Department of Diagnostics and Cancer Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznań, Poland

Rationale: Hedgehog pathway is active in basal cell carcinoma, but also taste buds. Treatment with vismodegib causes dysgeusia. However, the nature of this phenomemon is complex. Some of patients experience complete loss of taste or only disorders regarding individual flavors. This leads to weight loss and difficulty in further cancer therapy.

Methods: The study included 25 patients (13 women and 12 men) treated with vismodegib who reported taste disorders. They were offered to participate in validated surveys: taste intensity, Just-About-Right and hedonic, to evaluate the correlation of age (H1), gender (H2) and taste (H3) disorders. 

Results: Age was associated with selected aspects of taste perception (H1). Moderate negative correlations were found for sweet taste intensity (ρ = -0.54, p = .006; H1a) and correctness (ρ = -0.44, p = .028; H1c), with no effects for other tastes or hedonic ratings. Sex differences (H2) were mostly nonsignificant; men showed higher correctness in sour taste (Z = -2.52, p = .012, η² = .27), indicating partial support for H2. Intra-taste associations (H3) showed strong intensity-correctness correlations in women (ρ = .80–.93) and weaker, nonsignificant ones in men (ρ = .11–.46). These correlations were stronger in women for sweet (Z = 2.53, p = .010), salty (Z = 3.11, p = .002), and sour taste (Z = 2.36, p = .020), but not bitter. No sex differences emerged for intensity-pleasantness or pleasantness-correctness (p > .10).

Conclusion: Findings provide partial support for all hypotheses (H1-H3), indicating that taste disturbances under vismodegib are selective rather than global. Age-related effects are limited to sweet taste, while sex differences emerge primarily in sour taste perception and in the strength of intensity-correctness coupling, which is consistently stronger in women. Further studies in larger groups are needed. 

Disclosure of Interest: I. Łasińska Grant / Research Support from: Travel Grants: Roche, MSD, BMS, Medison, Regeneron, Astellas, Pfizer, Jannsen, Merck, Nutricia, Paid Instructor at: Lectures: Roche, MSD, BMS, Medison, Regeneron, Astellas, Pfizer, Jannsen, Merck, Nutricia, Other: Scholarship / Fellowship: Elective Course In Oncology - European Cancer Organisation (ECCO), TRU Visit - European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), Preceptorship in Prostate Cancer (ESMO), University Postgraduate Course - Clinical Oncology: Head and Neck Cancers , The European School of Oncology (ESO) and Universita degli studi di Milano, J. Mackiewicz Grant / Research Support from: Travel Grants: BMS, GSK, Roche, MSD, Novartis, Pierre-Fabre, Consultant for: Advisory Board: BMS, MSD, Paid Instructor at: Lectures: BMS, GSK, Roche, MSD, Novartis, Pierre-Fabre