Cooling Device to Protect Taste During Head and Neck Cancer Radiation

Radiation therapy to the head and neck region commonly damages the sense of taste, which can affect eating, nutrition, and quality of life. This trial is testing an intraoral hypothermia device—a cooling device placed inside the mouth—to see if keeping the mouth and surrounding tissues cool during radiation therapy can preserve or reduce the loss of taste function.

Taste loss is a well-known side effect of head and neck radiation therapy, and there are few proven ways to prevent it. Early research suggests that cooling normal tissues in the mouth during radiation might reduce damage, so this trial is exploring whether this approach could help patients maintain their ability to taste food during cancer treatment.