Although it has been established that the perception of food and eating and cooking habits change during cancer and its treatment, quality of life related to meals, which is an indicator of the psychobiological and physiological well-being of patients in their relationship to food, has been little studied in the pathological context, and particularly in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Beyond its biological role, food plays a significant psychobiological and social role, as shown by a series of qualitative studies based on interviews with patients. Following a cancer diagnosis, loss of appetite, difficulty in sharing a meal with the family, and reduced pleasure in eating disrupt the patient's relationship with his or her food. Thus, side effects such as fatigue, nausea and vomiting, and alterations in taste and smell induced by chemotherapy will affect patients' eating behavior, increasing the risk of deteriorating their quality of life with food. As these side effects are less known and therefore less expected by patients, they often lack the information and tools necessary to understand them. The present study proposes a support for cancer patients treated by chemotherapy in order to improve their quality of life related to meals, and thus keep the pleasure of eating and reduce the risks of malnutrition. This support will consist of a guide provided to patients, in which they will have information on the functioning of the sensory systems involved in the eating experience, advice and culinary tips to adapt foods to their sensory disorders, and recipes that can be adapted in mild (for patients with hypersensitivity to tastes/smells), accentuated (for patients with hypersensitivity to tastes/smells) and enriched (for patients at risk of denutrition) versions. In addition, their sensory abilities will be assessed at the beginning of the study by psychophysical tests, then between each chemotherapy via a telephone interview (self-reported sensory abilities), and they will benefit from orientation according to the test results. This work will be a first action to improve the quality of life related to the meal by information, follow-up, and adaptation of the meals to the sensory performances of each patient.
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QVA questionnaire score difference between the 2 arms
Timeframe: At the end of study follow-up, up to 12 weeks