Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34578798›Full record

Trial reportNutrients2021

Dietary Supplementation with Monosodium Glutamate Suppresses Chemotherapy-Induced Downregulation of the T1R3 Taste Receptor Subunit in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

Hitoshi Shono, Rie Tsutsumi, Kana Beppu, Rina Matsushima, Suzuno Watanabe, Chisa Fujimoto, Ryo Kanamura, Hiroki Ohnishi, Eiji Kondo, Takahiro Azuma and 6 more

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Nutrients, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Comprehensive evaluation of taste dysfunction in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients: a combined subjective and objective assessment.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Observational
  5. Taste disorders in cancer patients and current therapeutic approaches: a narrative review of an understudied topic in supportive care.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Review
  6. Taste alterations in patients with cancer: an overview and recommendations for future research.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Hitoshi ShonoDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Rie TsutsumiDepartment of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.ORCID 0000-0001-6362-5823
Kana BeppuDepartment of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Rina MatsushimaDepartment of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Suzuno WatanabeDepartment of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Chisa FujimotoDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Ryo KanamuraDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Hiroki OhnishiDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Eiji KondoDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Takahiro AzumaDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Go SatoDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Misako KawaiFrontier Research Laboratories, Institute for Innovation, Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Kawasaki 210-8681, Japan.
Hideki MatsumotoFrontier Research Laboratories, Institute for Innovation, Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Kawasaki 210-8681, Japan.
Yoshiaki KitamuraDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Hiroshi SakaueDepartment of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-2468-2363
Noriaki TakedaDepartment of Otolaryngology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Tokushima University · JPAjinomoto (Japan) · JP

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science London 18K11075
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

(Background) We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with monosodium glutamate (MSG) on chemotherapy-induced downregulation of the T1R3 taste receptor subunit expression in the tongue of patients with advanced head and neck cancer. (Methods) Patients undergoing two rounds of chemoradiotherapy were randomly allocated to a control or intervention group (dietary supplementation with MSG at 2.7 g/day during the second round of chemotherapy). The relative expression of T1R3, a subunit of both umami and sweet taste receptors, in the tongue was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Dysgeusia was assessed with a visual analog scale and daily energy intake was evaluated. (Results) T1R3 expression levels in the tongue, taste sensitivity, and daily energy intake were significantly reduced after the first round of chemotherapy compared with before treatment. Furthermore, these parameters significantly decreased after the second round of chemotherapy, but the extent of decrease was significantly attenuated in the MSG group compared with the control group. (Conclusions) MSG supplementation suppresses chemotherapy-induced dysgeusia, possibly due to the inhibition of the T1R3-containing taste receptor downregulation in the tongue, thereby increasing energy intake in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Indexed as

AdultAgedAged, 80 and overAntineoplastic AgentsChemoradiotherapyDietary SupplementsDown-RegulationDysgeusiaFemaleHead and Neck NeoplasmsHumansMaleMiddle AgedReceptors, G-Protein-CoupledSodium GlutamateTasteAntineoplastic AgentsReceptors, G-Protein-CoupledSodium Glutamatetaste receptors, type 1dysgeusiahead and neck cancermonosodium glutamateT1R3 genes

Identifiers

PMID34578798
PMCPMC8469378
OpenAlexW3196128871

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.