Due to improvements in the number of cancer survivors and survival time, there is a growing interest in healthy behaviors, such as physical activity (PA), and their potential impact on cancer-and non-cancer-related morbidity in individuals with cancer. Commissioned by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), in this review, we sought to distill the most recent evidence on this topic, focusing on the mechanisms that underpin the effects of PA on cancer, the role of PA in cancer prevention and in the prognosis of cancer and practical recommendations for clinicians regarding PA counseling. Despite the available information, the introduction of exercise programs into the global management of cancer patients remains a challenge with several areas of uncertainty. Among others, the most effective behavioral interventions to achieve long-term changes in a patient's lifestyle and the optimal intensity and duration of PA should be defined with more precision in future studies.

Aims The aim of this study was to assess the impact of adapted ice cream as a dietary supplement on the quality of life (QLQ) of malnourished patients with cancer. Material and methods We present an exploratory prospective observational study comparing two patterns of nutrition in cancer patients admitted during the study period who presented malnutrition disorders: adapted ice cream (Group I: 39 patients) and nutritional supplements (Group II: 31 patients). Patients were selected from two different hospitals from the same Oncologic Institute. QLQ was evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and QLQ of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ C30). Nutrition was determined by the PG-SGA test.Results HADS showed signifi cant differences in anxiety (p=0.023) and depression (p=0.011) at the end of the study only in Group I. QLQ-C30 revealed statistically signifi cant differences in baseline measures of global dimension between the two groups p=0.017). Differences were also present in the social dimension (Group I: 77.42-93.51 CI; Group II: 55.85-82.85 CI; p=0.039). Statistically signifi cant differences were observed between the two groups at the end of the study in the global scale: Group I had 49. , and in the fatigue scale: Group I had 36. . Conclusions The administration of ice cream could cover, in part, the social aspect of food and improve QLQ in malnourished cancer patients. These results are encouraging and deserve further confi rmation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of weekly docetaxel, estramustine and celecoxib in patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Forty-eight patients received 35 mg m À2 of weekly docetaxel for 3 out of every 4 weeks, 280 mg of estramustine twice daily on days 1 -3, 8 -10, 15 -17 and 400 mg of celecoxib twice daily until progression or toxicity. Cycles were repeated every 28 days for at least six cycles. Patients were evaluated for response and toxicity. Patients received a median of four cycles (range: 1 -9). On an intention-to-treat analysis, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was decreased greater than 50% in 28 out of 48 patients (overall response rate: 58%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 44 -72) and median duration of PSA response was 8.0 months (95% CI: 6.9 -9.0). After a median follow-up of 11.3 months, the median time to progression was 7.1 months and the median overall survival was 19.2 months. The most frequent severe toxicity was asthenia (15% of patients), diarrhoea and stomatitis (8% of patients, each). Grade 3/4 neutropenia was reported in two patients. There was a toxic death during the study due to a gastric perforation. Celecoxib with weekly docetaxel and estramustine is an effective and safe treatment for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, but it does not seem to add any benefit to docetaxel.

No abstract

Background Elderly cancer patients are a special population, and their management should include specialists in oncology, geriatrics, palliative care, and social work. Based on this approach, we designed a multidisciplinary care model (MCM) and prospectively assessed its results. Objectives To evaluate the applicability of the MCM, to describe the geriatric features of our sample, and to assess the impact of the MCM on treatment choices. Methods Patients older than 69 years of age with solid tumours were included. The MCM included the following decision algorithm: Patients with an unequivocal condition of frailty, assessed in the corresponding tumor committee, were directly referred to the palliative care team (Group A). In the other cases (Group B), patients over age 79 years underwent the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) and patients aged between 70 and 79 years completed a frailty test. If the frailty test was positive, CGA was also performed. Results 295 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were identi ed during one year. 186 (63%) were included in the MCM.. A total of 66 CGA were performed. CGA modi ed the therapeutic plan in 5 patients older than 80 (13.8%), and in 2 septuagenarian patients (6.6%). Limitations This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of a multidisciplinary approach in geriatric oncology patients in a real clinical setting. Therefore, some variables were not fully controlled in the design, such as the willingness of different specialists to refer their patients to the model. Conclusions MCM in elderly oncology patients is feasible in a general hospital, although several reasons often hinder patient recruitment for this kind of program. CGA can modify the therapeutic plan, especially in the octogenarian population. Funding/sponsorship This study has been nancially supported by a grant from the Fundació Joan Costa Romà.