AimTo define recommendations that permit safe management of antineoplastic medication, minimise medication errors and improve the safety of cancer patients undergoing treatment.MethodsBy reviewing the literature and consulting the websites of various health organisations and agencies, an expert committee from the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology defined a set of safe practices covering all stages of providing cancer therapy to patients. The Spanish Society of Oncology Nursing revised and endorsed the final list.ResultsIn total, 68 recommendations arranged in five sections were defined. They include issues concerning the training of health professionals, the technological resources needed, treatment planning, informing the patient and his/her family, the processes of prescribing, preparing, dispensing and administering cancer therapy (orally, parenterally or intrathecally), assessing patient adherence and treatment toxicity.ConclusionsIt is essential for healthcare establishments to implement specific measures designed to prevent medication errors, in order to ensure the safety of cancer patients treated with antineoplastic medication.

Background: The situation of patients with cancer around the world means, in terms of access to diagnostic tools, adequate surgical interventions, medical treatments and optimal radiotherapy, as well as the educational tools for professionals, presents a great disparity in terms of access throughout the globe, but especially in sub-Saharan countries. Once again, putting into evidence this situation is necessary in order to raise awareness among the participants involved in this situation: patient, professionals, Scientific Societies, but especially governments and international organizations. Health services, sanitary equipment and medical access in developing countries are unequable: from rural areas to cities, the ratios of population, patients and professionals are far from the recommendations of the WHO. The aim of this project is to determinate the dimension of educational and non-educational needs, such as: diagnostic methods and treatments, based on the difficulties presented while having access to the different resources. Methods: A qualitative approach was performed as first step. Objectives are to determinate needs about diagnosis equipment, treatments, and level of expertise within the personnel: including physicians, nurses, physiotherapist, technicians, and community health workers (this is a common figure in these countries). Quantitative analyses will start taking place during summer campaigns by African and European health professionals. Results: Access to medicines is expensive, even for the most basic treatments; when a patient begins a chemotherapy treatment, usually completes the first or second cycles of treatment. Only people who have access (economically) to a regular health system can afford a complete line of chemotherapy. About cancer diagnosis, in many countries there are basic X-ray services, including CT scan, but no PET or RMI. Conclusions: If we think in oncology services, there is a big gap from developed societies in terms of education resources. If we think in patients with cancer in some countries in Africa, we can sadly affirm that most of them are patients in palliative care, and instead of receiving the most qualified and supportive care, their options about pain control or other treatments are very few.

Objective: To define recommendations that permit safe management of antineoplastic medication, minimise medication errors and improve the safety of cancer patients undergoing treatment. Method: By reviewing the literature and consulting the websites of various health organisations and agencies, an expert committee from the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology defined a set of safe practices covering all stages of providing cancer therapy to patients. The Spanish Society of Oncology Nursing revised and endorsed the final list. Results: In total, 68 recommendations arranged in 5 sections were defined. They include issues concerning the training of health professionals, the technological resources needed, treatment planning, informing the patient and his family, the processes of prescribing, preparing, dispensing and administering cancer therapy (orally, parenterally or intrathecally), assessing patient adherence and treatment toxicity. Conclusions: It is essential for healthcare establishments to implement specific measures designed to prevent medication errors, in order to ensure the safety of cancer patients treated with antineoplastic medication.

Background: Significant tumor downstaging has been achieved in patients with localized gastric adenocarcinoma by preoperative chemoradiotherapy (ChRT) or induction chemotherapy (Ch). However the influence of ChRT and Ch on postoperative outcomes has not yet been clarified, with very few studies examining this issue. We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy in terms of pathological response and early postoperative complications of two protocols of preoperative ChRT and Ch for locally advanced gastric cancer. Methods: Between 2000 and 2008, 72 patients with operable locally advanced gastric cancer (cT3-4/N+) were treated with preoperative treatment: 1-patients receiving induction Ch or 2-neoadjuvant Ch followed by concurrent ChRT. Postoperative histopathological regression and surgical complications were investigated including variables related to patients, surgical variables, preoperative treatment, and tumor. Results: There were no differences in the incidence of complications between the ChRT and Ch groups (30.9% vs. 33.3%). The most frequent complications were nonspecific surgical complications (pneumonia [12.5%] and infection from intravenous catheters [9.7%]). Risk factors for complications were high-body mass index (BMI > 25 kg/m(2)) and extension of surgery to the pancreas and spleen. A major pathological response was observed in 33.3% of patients, being more frequent in the ChRT group (47.6% vs. 13.3%; chi(2), P = 0.0024).