Supplement al Table 1 Taste and Smell survey with annotated score
The purpose of this survey is to see how cancer affects the senses of taste and smell. Please answer the following questions as best you can.
1. Have you noticed any changes in your sense of taste? Yes=1 No=0
If yes, please describe: ______
2. Have you noticed any changes in your sense of smell? Yes=1 No=0
If yes, please describe: ______
3. Have you noticed that a food tastes different than it used to? Yes=1 No=0
If yes, please describe: ______
4. Have you noticed that a food smells different than it used to? Yes=1 No=0
If yes, please describe: ______
5. I have a persistent bad taste in my mouth (circle BEST answer)
1. never = 0
2. rarely = 0
3. sometimes = 1
4. often =1
5. always =1
6. The persistent taste is (circle ALL that apply)
1. salty
2. sweet (like sugar)
3. sour (like lemon or vinegar)
4. bitter (like black coffee or tonic water)
5. other (specify) ______
7. Do specific drugs interfere with your sense of taste? Yes=1 No=0
If yes, which ones? ______
8. Do some drugs taste worse than others? Yes=1 No=0
If yes, which ones? ______
9. Do specific drugs interfere with your sense of smell? Yes=1 No=0
If yes, which ones? ______
10. Do some drugs smell worse than others? Yes=1 no=0
If yes, which ones? ______
11. Comparing my sense of taste now to the way it was before I was diagnosed with cancer:
a. Salt tastes (circle BEST answer)
1) stronger =1
2) not changed =0
3) weaker =1
4) I cannot taste it at all =1
b. Sweet (sugar) tastes (circle BEST answer)
1) stronger =1
2) not changed =0
3) weaker =1
4) I cannot taste it at all =1
c. Sour (lemon or vinegar) tastes (circle BEST answer)
1) stronger =1
2) not changed =0
3) weaker =1
4) I cannot taste it at all =1
d. Bitter (black coffee or tonic water) tastes (circle BEST answer)
1) stronger =1
2) not changed =0
3) weaker =1
4) I cannot taste it at all =1
12. Comparing my sense of smell now to the way it was before I was diagnosed with cancer,
odors are
1) stronger =1
2) not changed =0
3) weaker =1
4) I cannot smell at all =1
13. Over the past 3 months, I would rate my taste changes as: (circle BEST answer)
1. insignificant =0
2. mild =1
3. moderate =1
4. severe =2
5. incapacitating =2
6. Have no taste changes =0
14. How has your taste changes affected your quality of life?
______
15. Over the past 3 months, I would rate my smell changes as: (circle BEST answer)
1. insignificant =0
2. mild= 1
3. moderate=1
4. severe=2
5. incapacitating=2
6. Have no taste changes=0
16. How has your abnormal sense of smell affected your quality of life?
______
Supplemental Table 2 Patients’ participation according to the three time points of the study
Baseline / End treatment / 2.5 months follow-up / All patients (n) / Tube-fed patients (n) / Orally-fed patients (n)+ / + / + / 71 / 14 / 57
+ / - / - / 38 / 13 / 25
- / + / - / 20 / 9 / 11
+ / + / - / 11 / 4 / 7
- / - / + / 11 / 2 / 9
+ / - / + / 9 / 2 / 7
- / + / + / 0 / 0 / 0
Abbreviation: (+) Patients participated in the study at this time point; (-) Patients did not participate in the study at this time point.