Visit the guides to best cancer care webpage <www.cancercareguides.org.au> for consumer guides. Visit the OCP webpage <www.cancer.org.au/OCP> for the optimal care pathway and instructions on how to import these guides into your GP software. Endorsed by: ALLG <www.allg.org.au> ANZCHOG <www.anzchog.org> ANZTCT <www.anztct.org.au> Cancer Council <www.cancer.org.au> Canteen <www.canteen.org.au> HSANZ <www.hsanz.org.au> Leukaemia Foundation <www.leukaemia.org.au> Redkite <www.redkite.org.au>

Palliative care Consider a referral to palliative care. Ensure an advance care directive is in place. Communication The lead clinician’s responsibilities include: being open about the prognosis and discussing palliative care options with the patient establishing transition plans to ensure the patient’s needs and goals are considered in the appropriate environment. Checklist Supportive care needs…

Detection Most residual or relapsed disease will be detected via routine follow-up or by the patient presenting with symptoms. Re-biopsy is strongly encouraged to confirm relapse and to clarify the nature of the relapsed lymphoma. Treatment Evaluate each patient for whether referral to the original multidisciplinary team is appropriate. Treatment will depend on the location…

Provide a treatment and follow-up summary to the patient, carer and GP outlining: the diagnosis, including tests performed and results tumour characteristics treatment received (types and date) current toxicities interventions and treatment plans from other health professionals potential long-term and late effects of treatment and care of these supportive care services provided a follow-up schedule,…

Establish intent of treatment Curative Anti-cancer therapy to improve quality of life and/or longevity without expectation of cure Symptom palliation. Watchful waiting (WW) is appropriate for asymptomatic FL and MZL in stage II (which is not suited to radiotherapy) and advanced-stage FL and MZL (stages III and IV). The frequency of clinical review is based…

Diagnosis A tissue diagnosis is required before initiating definitive treatment, although one may have been performed before referral. Fresh and fixed tissue samples should be collected from the tissue biopsy for anatomical pathology and flow cytometry. Gene mutation testing may be of prognostic relevance in some cases. Evaluate relevant organ function based on history, clinical…

LGLs frequently present with symptoms of gradual onset occurring over weeks or months. People can be asymptomatic at diagnosis, with LGL discovered incidentally after imaging or laboratory tests reveal an abnormality. The following signs and symptoms should be investigated: a lump or mass in any organ lymphadenopathy, particularly lymphadenopathy lasting more than 2 weeks splenomegaly…

The optimal care pathway for low-grade lymphomas (LGLs) covers follicular lymphoma (FL), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Prevention The causes of most LGLs are not fully understood and there are currently no clear prevention strategies. Some LGLs such as gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma are, however, preventable through identifying and…