Head and neck cancer survivors' experiences with eating and enjoying food three to five years post-treatment: impacts on social lives and sense of identity — a qualitative study

PURPOSE: To explore the eating experiences of Norwegian survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC), with a particular focus on the social aspects of food and meals. METHODS: Twelve Norwegian HNC survivors, three to five years post-cancer treatment, underwent individual semi-structured interviews. We analysed the data using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The HNC survivors faced long-term side effects like taste disturbances, dry mouth, chewing, and swallowing difficulties. This made eating a demanding task, focused more on dietary intake than enjoyment. To accommodate the eating difficulties, the HNC survivors adjusted their diets to soft, easy-to-swallow foods, and prepared the food so they could manage to eat it. Many avoided social discomfort by dining more with close family or friends, and less with others. They missed the joy of savouring food and meal-centred traditions, and experienced stress around eating, concerns about others' perceptions of their eating habits, and logistical challenges, particularly when traveling. CONCLUSIONS: Physical challenges following HNC treatment disrupted participants' eating habits, social interactions, and sense of identity, several years after treatment. Many experienced ongoing emotional strains and social isolation related to eating. These findings highlight the need for survivorship care that addresses not only physical and dietary needs but also the emotional and social dimensions of eating, with potential relevance for other groups facing chronic eating challenges.