The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7218 p505
5 October 2002

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A "must have" for departments providing chemotherapy services

'The cytotoxics handbook' (4th edition), edited by Michael Allwood, Andrew Stanley and Patricia Wright. Pp xi+484. Price £90. Oxfordshire: Radcliffe Medical Press; 2002. ISBN 1 85775 504 9

This book has long been a "must have" textbook for pharmacy departments providing chemotherapy services. Those familiar with previous editions will find that the information is presented in a similar fashion again, with an increase in the emphasis of avoidance and treatment of extravasation. The individual drug monographs as usual contain a wealth of referenced information mainly on the physical and chemical stability of each drug.

As before the book is divided into two sections with part one dealing with the provision of cytotoxic services, giving up-to-date information on the design of aseptic facilities and introducing the reader to the underlying concepts involved in selecting appropriate delivery devices. The first section also includes clinical information about each drug with advice on monitoring patients and managing toxicities.

Part two is made up of the individual drug monographs, this being perhaps the most useful section of the book enabling pharmacy staff to deal with formulation issues efficiently. Although the book deals with up-to-date issues, such as managing the risk of providing intrathecal doses of cytotoxics, there is little information on handling newer biotechnology products such as monoclonal antibodies and gene therapy. It is to be hoped the authors will address this in future editions.

Geoff Saunders