Febrile neutropenia management in cancer patients receiving anti-cancer agents' treatment: Deepening the search to offer the best care. A critical review follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Febrile neutropenia is a common complication in cancer patients. Emergency departments are in most countries the unique entry point to tertiary care. However, some challenges restrain emergency department professionals from complying with the protocol. OBJECTIVE: To update the published review in 2018: "Critical review of emergency department management of chemotherapy complications in cancer patients", and explore improvement opportunities. METHODS: MEDLINE, TROVE and SCOPUS databases were used to conduct a broad electronic literature search. Out of 74 articles yielded, nine responding to our questions were selected. CONCLUSIONS: Febrile neutropenia management in cancer patients still represents a challenge for emergency departments that have difficulties to comply with international guidelines. It is critical to identify the best venue and which professionals to manage the target population. Appropriate care pathways and a more efficient tool to classify low and high risk patients, would improve clinical outcomes, while costs would be reduced.

Neuropatía periférica producida por taxanos y calidad de vida global en pacientes con cáncer de mama / Peripheral neuropathy caused by taxanes and overall quality of life in breast cancer patients

OBJETIVO: determinar la incidencia y evolución de la neuropatía periférica inducida por taxanos (NPIT) en pacientes con cáncer de mama y valorar la influencia de la NPIT en la calidad de vida global (CV). MÉTODO: estudio descriptivo longitudinal prospectivo realizado en el Servicio de Oncología del Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (julio 2015-abril 2016). Se incluyeron mujeres diagnosticadas de cáncer de mama en su primera línea de tratamiento con quimioterapia (paclitaxel o docetaxel) en quienes se evaluó la neurotoxicidad y la calidad de vida mediante tres cuestionarios autoinformados validados al inicio, a las 6 y 12 semanas y un mes tras finalizar el tratamiento. RESULTADOS: participaron 33 pacientes de las cuales el 84,4% había desarrollado algún grado de NP al final del seguimiento. La neurotoxicidad empeoró de manera estadísticamente significativa con la acumulación de dosis hasta el final del tratamiento y se mantuvo estable un mes tras la última administración (p< 0,001). La neuropatía sensitiva aumentó de manera estadísticamente significativa a lo largo del seguimiento (p< 0,001). La afectación de la sensibilidad motora también, salvo en la última medición (p< 0,005). Se observó una correlación positiva entre la neurotoxicidad y deterioro de la CV (r= 0,609 (p< 0,0001)) CONCLUSIONES: la NPIT es un efecto secundario con una alta incidencia en la población de mujeres con cáncer de mama estudiada y provoca un efecto negativo en la CV percibida de las pacientes. Las enfermeras oncológicas son profesionales clave en la prevención y el manejo de este efecto secundario

OBJECTIVE: to determine the incidence and evolution of taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) in breast cancer patients, and to assess the influence of TIPN on overall quality of life (QoL). METHOD: a prospective longitudinal descriptive study conducted at the Oncology Unit of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (July, 2015- April, 2016). The study included women with diagnosis of breast cancer, on their first line of treatment with chemotherapy (paclitaxel or docetaxel); neurotoxicity and quality of life were evaluated through three self-reported questionnaires validated at baseline, at 6 and 12 weeks, and one month after completing treatment. RESULTS: the study included 33 patients; 84.4% of them had developed some degree of PN at the end of follow-up. There was a statistically significant worsening in neurotoxicity with dose accumulation until the end of the treatment, and it remained stable one month after the last administration (p< 0.001). There was a statistically significant increase in sensitive neuropathy throughout follow-up (p< 0.001); also in terms of involvement in motor sensitivity, except in the final measurement (p< 0-005). A positive correlation was observed between neurotoxicity and QoL deterioration (r= 0.609 (p < 0.0001)). CONCLUSIONS: TIPN is a side effect with high incidence among the population studied of women with breast cancer, and it causes a negative impact on patient-perceived QoL. Oncology nurses are the key professionals for the prevention and management of this side effect