Spanish Society of Medical Oncology consensus for the use of haematopoietic colony-stimulating factors in cancer patients.

Neutropenia is a common complication of cancer chemotherapy. Colony-stimulating factors (CSF) may be used to avoid neutropenia-associated complications. The Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) recently constituted a working group to review the main issues concerning the use of CSF and carried out a consensus process about the use of CSF in cancer patients, held in Madrid on 26 May 2006. The group concluded the following recommendations: prophylactic use of CSF is recommended when a rate of febrile neutropenia (FN) higher than 20% is expected without the use of CSF or when additional risk factors for neutropenia exist; therapeutic use of CSF is recommended in order to treat FN episodes but not to treat afebrile neutropenic episodes. In addition, the use of CSF is considered effective when used to mobilise stem cells before high-dose chemotherapy and when used for chemotherapy schedule optimisation in dose-dense and in dose-intense regimens.

Diagnosis and medical treatment of breast cancer. Cordoba Consensus of 2007.

Many important studies have changed the perspective from which breast cancer is approached, and they may change what have to date been the standards applicable to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. In 2007, just over 200 oncologists from all over Spain met in Cordoba in order to review the latest evidence related to breast cancer and reach a consensus on the most important aspects of its diagnosis and treatment in different clinical situations: neoadjuvance, adjuvance and advanced disease. In view of these important changes, opinions on some specific aspects may be varied and all are justified. This document represents a review of the current state of the evidence.

Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer patients show protein energy malnutrition (PEM) throughout the evolution of the disease. The main objective of this work is to find out the prevalence of PEM in the studied sample, as well as how to assess the nutritional state of patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Non-interventionist, longitudinal and prospective study. Cancer patients from 103 researchers (6 specialties) from 65 hospitals of 15 Spanish Autonomous Communities. Results 561 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 62.6 years and 68.8% were men. The average basal body mass index (BMI) was 22.1 kg/m2. In 18.2% the BMI was low; 21.6% were overweight, pre-obese or obese; 22.9% had a localised tumour and 77.1% had an advanced one, first and foremost located in the head and neck, digestive system and lungs. In 72.7% of cases, it was treated with chemotherapy (CT) and in 38.3% with CT and radiotherapy (RT). 96.4% had nutrition problems: 70.9% (398/561) had anorexia, 34.8% (195/561) gastrointestinal pro blems, 32.6% (183/561) dysgeusia, 40.5% (227/561) dysphagia and others 8.6% (48/561). Weight loss occurred in 90.7% (an average of 4.2 months). CONCLUSION: If we analyse the BMI of patients, it can be seen that 60.2% have an adequate weight according to their size against 17.3% of patients who are overweight or preobese, and the remaining 4.3% are obese. Only 18.2% of patients are underweight. Over 90% have suffered recent weight loss.

[Safety and efficacy of oral trans-mucosal fentanyl citrate in the long-term treatment of breakthrough pain in oncology patients: the ECODIR study]. / Tolerabilidad y efectividad del citrato de fentanilo oral transmucosa en el tratamiento a largo plazo del dolor irruptivo en pacientes oncológicos: estudio ECODIR.

INTRODUCTION: Oral trans-mucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) is the one drug specifically developed for the management of breakthrough pain. This study assesses the long-term safety and efficacy of OTFC standard clinical conditions. Patients and methods. Six-month observational study performed on cancer patients with episodes of breakthrough pain. Safety was assessed by recording the advent of adverse events and efficacy by the evaluating the intensity of breakthrough pain. RESULTS: 174 cancer patients were recruited into the study. All adverse reactions reported were mild or moderate. OTFC was significantly faster (time to the commencement of pain relief: 12.7 +/- 11.4 vs 32.7 +/- 18.4 minutes; p < 0.001) and potent (post-treatment pain intensity: 3.4 +/- 1.5 vs 4.3 +/- 1.5; p < 0.001) than the previously-used drugs. CONCLUSIONS: This observational study confirms the good safety profile of OTFC as well as its effectiveness over long-term period treatment of breakthrough pain.