Kidney cancer treatments can cause uncomfortable side effects in different parts of your body, including in your mouth. From mouth sores and taste changes to dry mouth and beyond, you may notice oral symptoms that affect your ability to eat.

If oral symptoms have been lowering your quality of life, you’re not alone. Many MyKidneyCancerTeam members have shared their experiences with mouth sores and other problems.

“Fruits irritate my mouth because of my meds,” one member said, “but vegetables are good without any seasoning.” Another said, “I’m currently on immunotherapy every three weeks. The only adverse effects are tiredness and dry mouth.”

Read on to discover what might be causing oral symptoms during kidney cancer treatment and strategies to try so you can start feeling better.

Oral Side Effects of Kidney Cancer Treatment

Kidney cancer treatment can affect your mouth in different ways.

Mouth Sores

Also called oral mucositis or ulcers, mouth sores can be painful. Cancer treatments can damage the sensitive tissues that line the mouth and throat, leading to ulcers.

Dry Mouth

Certain cancer treatments may damage the salivary glands. This may lead to thicker saliva or less saliva production.

Taste Changes

Cancer treatments may alter your taste receptor cells, making food taste different, such as giving it a bitter or metallic flavor. Or you may simply not be able to taste food as well as you used to.

Which Treatments Can Cause Side Effects That Affect Your Mouth?

Most oral side effects of cancer treatments go away within a few weeks after treatment ends. But these symptoms can be frustrating to deal with as you navigate different treatments for kidney cancer.

Targeted Therapy

Your oncology team may recommend taking a targeted therapy drug to treat kidney cancer, especially if the condition is in the more advanced stages. Many targeted therapies for kidney cancer are part of a drug class called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). TKIs can destroy a specific protein target on cancer cells called tyrosine kinase.

Mouth sores are a common side effect of several targeted therapies used to treat kidney cancer. One study of 64 people with kidney cancer who were taking TKIs found that 42 percent had mouth sores and 67 percent experienced a change or loss of taste.

Targeted therapies for kidney cancer may cause other oral side effects as well. For instance, cabozantinib (Cabometyx) may cause dry mouth, mouth irritation, or changes in taste. “My doctor switched me to Cabometyx, and food tasted horrible,” one MyKidneyCancerTeam member said.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of drug that uses your body’s own immune system to find and destroy cancer cells. One class of immunotherapy drugs for kidney cancer is called immune checkpoint inhibitors. In one small study of 19 people with kidney cancer who were taking checkpoint inhibitors, 21 percent noticed a change or loss of taste, while nearly 11 percent had mouth sores.

Mucositis may start about three to 10 days after beginning an immunotherapy treatment. Ask your doctor if they can recommend any preventive strategies to avoid this side effect.

Radiation Therapy

Your cancer care team probably won’t recommend radiation therapy as a first-line kidney cancer treatment. But if the cancer spreads or returns after treatment or if you aren’t a surgery candidate, radiation may be used to treat kidney cancer.

Radiation therapy can damage tissues in the area where the treatment is directed. If radiation is aimed at or near your neck or head, you could experience oral symptoms. These symptoms may include taste changes, pain, dry mouth, trouble swallowing, or mouth ulcers.

Radiation therapy is usually focused on the area where your cancerous tumors are. If cancer is confined to your kidney, the radiation probably won’t be focused near your head or neck. But if radiation is performed to treat kidney cancer that spreads to your throat or neck, you may experience side effects affecting your mouth.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy isn’t a kidney cancer treatment option for most people. But your oncologist may recommend it to treat rare kidney cancer types.

Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells in the body. While cancer cells are part of that target, so are the cells in the lining of the mouth, since those rapidly divide as well. The resulting damage can cause mouth sores.

Managing Oral Side Effects With Kidney Cancer

If you have mouth sores or other oral side effects, it’s important to work with your doctor on solutions. They can help you find ways to manage these side effects so you can eat well, get enough nutrition, and feel your best during treatment.

They may recommend using homemade mouth rinses with baking soda or salt water, or they might suggest using prescription or over-the-counter remedies.

Ways To Manage Mouth Sores

If you’re dealing with mouth or throat sores, these strategies may help:

• Maintain good oral hygiene.
• Avoid alcohol and irritating foods.
• Consume cold foods and drinks, such as Popsicles.
• Eat small meals frequently.
• Eat soft foods, and cut them into small pieces.
• Avoid spicy, acidic, or crunchy foods.
• Suck on ice chips to ease pain.
• Use a soft toothbrush and brush gently.
• Ask your doctor about numbing mouthwashes or prescription rinses.

Ways To Manage Dry Mouth

To manage a dry mouth during kidney cancer treatments, try some of these tips:

• Take sips of water throughout the day to make sure you’re consuming enough fluid.
• Avoid dry meals, and add gravies and other moisteners to your foods.
• Use artificial saliva products, such as sprays, gums, rinses, or pills.
• Avoid spicy, acidic, and sugary foods and drinks.
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugar-free hard candies to boost saliva production.
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco products, including alcohol-based mouthwashes.

Ways To Manage Taste Changes

If kidney cancer treatment has made food taste bitter or different, consider these strategies:

• Try using plastic utensils, which may not affect your sense of taste as much as metal forks and spoons.
• Drink through straws or bottles if possible so beverages bypass the front of your tongue.
• Try eating and drinking items at room temperature or colder, rather than while warm.
• Experiment with different flavors and seasonings.
• Brush your teeth or rinse with ginger ale before eating.
• Eat fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables rather than canned varieties.

Work With Your Kidney Cancer Specialist

Stay in close touch with your healthcare team during kidney cancer treatment. Let them know about any new or changing side effects you experience, including mouth sores and other oral symptoms.

Your quality of life is important, and your care team may be able to suggest other ways to manage this side effect. If a sore mouth is keeping you from eating properly, your doctor may give you a referral to a dietitian who can suggest an eating plan that keeps you more comfortable.

Join the Conversation

On MyKidneyCancerTeam, people share their experience with kidney cancer, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Which oral side effects have you had while undergoing kidney cancer treatment? Let others know in the comments below.