All Living Well

If you have a certain type of cancer, or are going through treatment for cancer, you might experience changes in your sense of smell. Some cancers in the head and neck area and some treatments for cancer may cause smell changes.1,2

Your sense of smell may be affected in different ways. For example, some people say they:1

  • Can’t smell things they used to
  • Smell things more strongly or less strongly than before
  • Smell things in a different way – perhaps struggling to handle smells they liked before
  • Feel sick when they smell certain things

Smell changes can vary over time. You might find it helpful to keep a diary to record the smell changes you are experiencing. This may help you realise the smells you don’t like anymore, or help you notice patterns in smell that relate to the treatment you’re having.2

If you are struggling to eat because of changes to your smell, you may wish to:1

  • Stick to foods that can be eaten cold or at room temperature (for example, bread instead of toast, or pasta salad instead of pasta and sauce)
  • If cooking, use the kitchen fan or keep the window open
  • Keep any opened food covered
  • Use cups with lids (such as a travel cup) and drink through a straw

We sometimes take our smell for granted – but it can help us stay safe, so it’s important to be careful when you’ve lost your smell. For example:3

  • Make sure you have plenty of smoke alarms in your home and check they work. This way, if there’s a fire, you don’t have to rely on being able to smell the smoke.
  • If you are using chemicals, such as bleach, it’s important to be careful which ones you use, how much you use, and how you clean up afterwards. Your nose won’t be able to tell you if you have used the wrong chemical or if there is lingering chemical in the air after use.

For some people, smell changes are coupled with taste changes. This is because our sense of smell is closely linked to our sense of taste.2,3 If you are experiencing changes in your taste, you might find some useful information on our ‘Mouth symptoms’ page.

It may be reassuring to know that, for many people, changes in smell and taste go away after treatment ends. But it depends on which type of cancer and treatment you have. It’s important to tell your healthcare team if you have any changes in your smell. They will be able to provide support and give you a better idea of whether you can expect the changes to go away again.1

References

  1. American Cancer Society. Taste and smell changes. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/eating-problems/taste-smell-changes.html [Accessed April 2025]
  2. Cancer Council Victoria. Taste and smell changes. Available from: https://www.cancervic.org.au/cancer-information/treatments/common-side-effects/taste-and-smell-changes [Accessed April 2025]
  3. Cancer Research UK. Changes in your sense of smell. Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/nasal-sinus-cancer/living-with/changes-sense-of-smell [Accessed April 2025]