Objective To systematically review the current literature on the experiences of taste alterations and coping strategies in cancer patients, and to provide references for targeted interventions. Methods We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, ProQuest, CNKI, WanFang Data and other electronic databases for qualitative studies from each database′s inception to April 2022.We evaluated quality of the literature using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Studies and then conducted a meta-synthesis using meta-aggregative approach. Results We identified fourteen relevant qualitative studies, extracted sixty-nine themes, synthesized a total of five categories and then generated two new main themes.The two new themes included complex experiences of taste alterations, and diversified coping strategies. Conclusion The experiences of taste alterations in cancer patients are complex and affect patients negatively.Nurses should pay attention to this issue, provide continuous and dyna-mic assessments, and strengthen health education, thus to help patients to enhance self-efficacy for symptom management.