Peripheral olfactory function in rats after chemotherapeutic treatment with the anticancer drug docetaxel

International audience; Clinical studies have documented that chemotherapeutic cancer treatment in humans is often associated with weight loss and decreased enjoyment of food. Beside taste, olfaction plays a role in the food intake regulation. We assessed whether hemotherapeutic cancer treatment compromises olfactory function in rats treated with docetaxel (Taxotere, TAX), an antineoplastic drug which disrupts the structures necessary for cell survival and division. Electroolfactogram responses (EOG) can indicate morpho-pathological changes in olfactory epithelium. Male rats received either a single, two or three intravenous injections (one per week) of an estimated 10% lethal dose (LD10) o…