Clinical dietitian Dr Anna Boltong conducted a research which studied the effects of chemotherapy to patients' taste function and food enjoyment.

Fifty-two breast cancer patients were made subjects of a series of tests pre-, intra-, and post-chemotherapy.

The research was conducted primarily to decipher how chemotherapy affects the sense of taste, particularly its implications with regard to food intake.

Good nutrition is important in keeping one's immune system healthy, which contributes to fighting off cancer cells and to helping patients make it through to the rigours of treatment.

"A dietitian's role is to support patients to have the best nutritional input they can to cope with their therapy and patients were saying the taste of food was a real problem for them. It was a barrier for them to take up recommendations I was making,'' Dr Boltong told theage.com.au.

Patients undergoing chemotherapy usually complained of a metallic taste, food tasted bland, or of food flavours becoming stronger or weaker.

Instead of losing weight, the 52 breast cancer patients who participated in the study experienced the opposite, which was quite unique, according to Dr Boltong in an interview with the University of Melbourne.

"I think there is potential for this study to change practice. So, if we are able to design some interventions which mean that patients are still able to eat well and be well nourished, but not gain an excessive weight, then certainly that would be good evidence for changing the way we treat those patients in the future." Dr Boltong told unimelb (University of Melbourne) via YouTube.

The research came up with a taxonomy of taste for health professionals as well as an improved information with respect to food in relation to chemotherapy for patients.

The tool will be used to determine resolutions to patients' taste complaint during the course of chemotherapy and provide a more efficient intervention therefor.