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.

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 tumour 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 analysed 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 tumour. 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).