CANUT Junior : Assessment of Sensory Abilities and Eating Behavior in Pediatric Oncology: a Feasibility Study

Today, the chances of survival among children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with cancer are 80%, particularly due to early diagnosis and access to appropriate care. Although multimodal care strategies have improved the survival rate in pediatric patients, highly toxic treatments cause various short- and long-term side effects such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and alterations in taste perception. These side effects affect the comfort and quality of life of patients and expose them to a high risk of malnutrition. Sensory alterations related to smell, taste and texture reduce appetite and pleasure in eating, thus reducing food intake. More than 45% of children and adolescents treated for cancer suffer from malnutrition, which impacts their immune function, their response to treatments, their quality of life and even the costs of care. The consequences of sensory alterations on behaviors, preferences and eating habits are still little studied in children and adolescents treated for cancer. Similarly, olfactory and somesthetic capacities are very little explored in these patients. Only few studies are available in this area in pediatrics, and no studies take into account texture perception, which is essential for food acceptance.

This study is a feasibility study aimed at exploring the tools for measuring sensory alterations. It aims to evaluate taste and olfactory capacities, as well as food preferences in terms of textures among children. The study is a single-arm intervention. The study will include 30 patients between 7 and 17 years old, newly diagnosed with oncological or hematological malignancies, treated at IHOPE (Institute of Hematology and Pediatric Oncology) in Lyon, until today 3 patients have been included. The protocol had to undergo a second session in the Ethics County for changes to the recruitment process on May 7, 2025, with the aim of having more inclusions of participants. The change consists of doing the tests before the second chemotherapy cycle instead of the first cycle since patients have a lot of procedures to do in hospital management and they did not agree to participate in the study. The measures that are taken are, olfactory and gustatory capacities, measurement of salivary quantity and quality, preference and acceptance of textures. The state of oral health, dietary habits and food consumption with questionnaires are also assessed. Measurements of weight, height and BMI are taken, and nutritional status is assessed. The Easy Assessment Score of Ingesta is also used for an early diagnosis of the risk of malnutrition or undernutrition and finally the quality of life with the help of a questionnaire.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients treated at a pediatric oncology-hematology center, with an initial diagnosis of a solid or hematological tumor, aged 7 to 17 years inclusive.
• Patients with functional oral feeding
• Parent/guardian who has signed the informed consent form and patient who has not expressed refusal
• Patients affiliated with the social security system
• French-speaking patients
• Validated indication for systematic oncological treatment

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals with a known food allergy/intolerance to the prototypes being studied (does not apply to patients on a protected diet)
• Individuals who have undergone surgery on the tongue
• Patients for whom other types of cancer treatment are planned during the study period (e.g., radiation therapy)
• Patients with dental conditions
• Patients who have relapsed