Prophylactic oral glutamine for docetaxel or paclitaxel associated taste alterations in cancer patients: A randomised, parallel, placebo-controlled, double-blind study

9104 Background: Taste alterations (TA) can occur as side-effects of taxane-based chemotherapy (T-Ch) and studies suggest that glutamin can reduce neurotoxicity. We compared in patients (pts) with a first time T-Ch oral glutamin (G) with placebo (P) for occurrence and severity of TA. Methods: Pts were randomised for 30g per day G or P (maltodextrin) (Baxter, Switzerland) from the first day of T-Ch. Subjective TA (dysgeusia) was measured daily by VAS, at baseline 3 times. On each cycle of T-Ch, objective (sour, sweet, salty, bitter) and subjective (4-categorical scale of 4 tastes) TA, and toxicity (NCI CTC V.3) were assessed. Stomatitis and zinc deficiency were screened for and treated. Of 47 pts receiving at least one day G or P, three (2 G, 1 P) died to tumor progression and three (2 G, 1 P) withdraw consent in the first cycle of T-Ch. For primary outcomes, repeated dysgeusia scores were analyzed by linear mixed model and repeated binary values of each objective taste item by generalized estimating equat...