We have 5 senses--all related and closely linked in every experience--sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Probably why some who can't eat, enjoy cooking for others--sight and touch.
Nausea--sight and smell can be serious triggers.
Kneading dough for bread or pizza bases--touch, sound
A pan bubbling/simmering in the next room combined with smell--yummy or off-putting depending on circumstances.
From my reading here, it's not so much cravings as enjoying 'what feels okay/good' at the time, which might be totally out of the norm.
From my own point of view, didn't have radiation, so can't contribute on that-induced issues, but when I could hardly open my jaw and had a lot of pain in it, I discovered ice-cream gave me some nutrition (Had never bothered much about it before), ditto savoury rice, rice pudding, any drink with ice in, soggy cereal and cookies dunked in tea/coffee.

Brenda

Brenda in UK--Diagnosis 30/5/07--undifferentiated carcinoma in right jawbone and muscles. Stage 4
6/7/07--new diagnosis primary is in lung. Finished 4cycles of palliative carboplatin/gemcitabine
therapy September 07
Now dying to live!