Taste and prostate cancer: Preliminary data on a novel patient-reported outcomes.

201Background: Taste alterations are a common yet frequently under-assessed problem in cancer patients. Health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) instruments for prostate cancer (PCa) patients (pts) do not assess taste despite these hypothetically being related to both appetite and weight loss. Herein we begin to assess taste using a novel instrument evaluating taste alterations with a focus on PCa. Methods: 61 PCa pts treated at Tulane Cancer Center were enrolled in this prospective study. An 18-item questionnaire assessed appetite, taste, smell, and diet. 127 questionnaires were completed (mean 2.1 responses/pt). In a subset of questionnaires, we compared self-reported taste, appetite, and weight loss over a 6-month period. In another subset, we compared taste and appetite to treatments with abiraterone, docetaxel, or enzalutamide. Non-parametric testing was performed. Results: Of the 61 participants with PCa, 18.0% reported poor taste, 17.1% reported poor appetite, and 6.6% reported nausea while eating. W...