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Testicular cancer patients undergoing cisplatin based chemotherapy exhibit temporary olfactory threshold scores changes

  • Rhinology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Testicular cancer is the most frequent malignant disease in young males between 15 and 35 years. Platinum based chemotherapy regimen is the therapy of choice in advanced disease. This treatment has also adverse effects caused by the cytostatic active substances, such as olfactory dysfunctions. The aim of this study was, therefore, to monitor olfactory function of testicular cancer patients during and 6 months after chemotherapy. A total of 17 patients (mean age 31.06 ± 10.26 years), which underwent chemotherapy (mean 2.47 cycles ± 0.5) were enrolled in this study. Odor threshold, discrimination and identification were assessed by means of the “Sniffin’ Sticks” prior to and on day 42, 90 and 180 after chemotherapy has been completed. Furthermore, patients’ ratings of olfactory function and depressive symptoms were evaluated. Threshold scores were significantly lower on day 90 (8.0 ± 2.51) compared to baseline (10.4 ± 2.20) (p = 0.014) and recovered almost completely on day 180 (9.65 ± 3.26). Odor discrimination and identification did not show significant changes during therapy. The decrease of the olfactory function during/immediately after chemotherapy was underlined by the subjectively perceived impaired olfactory function during this time. In addition almost every fourth patient presented with a depressed mood at the beginning of chemotherapy. Patients should be informed about possible transient olfactory impairment during/immediately after chemotherapy.

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Author notes

  1. Ute Walliczek-Dworschak and Volker Gudziol contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Interdisciplinary Center Smell and Taste, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Ute Walliczek-Dworschak, Volker Gudziol, Claudia Mitzschke & Thomas Hummel

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany

    Ute Walliczek-Dworschak

  3. Department of Urology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Michael Froehner

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  1. Ute Walliczek-Dworschak
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  2. Volker Gudziol
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  3. Claudia Mitzschke
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  4. Michael Froehner
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  5. Thomas Hummel
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Correspondence to Ute Walliczek-Dworschak.

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Walliczek-Dworschak, U., Gudziol, V., Mitzschke, C. et al. Testicular cancer patients undergoing cisplatin based chemotherapy exhibit temporary olfactory threshold scores changes. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 2813–2818 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4559-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4559-y

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