FORMATION OF FOOD AVERSIONS IN CANCER-PATIENTS RECEIVING REPEATED INFUSIONS OF CHEMOTHERAPY

Patients receiving emetogenic chemotherapy for cancer have been found to develop aversions to normal dietary items consumed in close tempora l relation to treatment administrations. These aversions are presumed to develop via conditioning processes as demonstrated in experimental studies of food aversion learning. The present study used a prospectiv e, longitudinal design to evaluate the possible role of conditioning i n the formation of aversions to normal dietary items in women receivin g adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Patients were monitored for the development of aversions to foods and beverages consumed in the 2 4 hr periods before and after each of eight consecutive chemotherapy i nfusions beginning with the initial infusion. Data on the prevalence, course, and prediction of aversions to normal dietary items are report ed. These results pointed to similarities and differences between aver sions formed to normal dietary items during chemotherapy treatment and aversions formed to taste stimuli during experimental conditioning st udies. In addition to their theoretical significance, results also sug gest possible strategies for preventing the clinical problem of aversi ons to normal dietary items in chemotherapy patients.