Dysgeusia refers to an abnormal or unpleasant taste. It can be a symptom seen in patient with cancer.
Types of dysgeusia in a cancer patient:
(1) therapy related: chemotherapy and/or radiation of the head and neck
(2) tumor-related
Tumor-related dysgeusia is rare and causes the patient to notice that everything tastes in a certain way:
(1) a sweet taste (metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung with hyponatremia)
(2) a salty taste (metastatic pancreatic cancer to the liver)
The mechanism is uncertain but it is hypothesized that the tumor secretes something that triggers specific taste receptors.
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Specialty: Otolaryngology, Hematology Oncology
