The general or primary medical practitioner who made the referral is responsible for the patient until care is passed to another practitioner. The general or primary medical practitioner may play a number of roles in all stages of the cancer pathway including diagnosis, referral, treatment, coordination and continuity of care as well as providing information…

The lead clinician should: ensure regular and timely (within a week) communication with the woman’s general practitioner regarding the treatment plan and recommendations from multidisciplinary team meetings and should notify the general practitioner if the woman does not attend appointments gather information from the general practitioner, including their perspective on the woman (psychological issues, social…

The multidisciplinary team should comprise the core disciplines that are integral to providing good care. Team membership will vary according to cancer type but should reflect both the clinical and psychosocial aspects of care. Additional expertise or specialist services may be required for some women (Department of Health 2007b). Team members may include a: care…

Cancer prehabilitation uses a multidisciplinary approach combining exercise, nutrition and psychological strategies to prepare women for the challenges of cancer treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy. Evidence indicates that for newly diagnosed cancer patients, prehabilitation prior to starting treatment can be beneficial. This may include conducting a physical and psychological assessment to…

Screening with a validated screening tool (such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Problem Checklist) and assessment and referral to appropriate health professionals or organisations is required to meet the identified needs of an individual, their carer and family. In addition to the common issues outlined in the Appendix, specific needs that…

Screening with a validated screening tool, assessment and referral to appropriate health professionals and/or organisations is required to meet the needs of individual women, their families and carers. In addition to the common issues outlined in the Appendix, specific issues that may arise include: treatment-related side effects including loss of fertility, sexual dysfunction and menopause,…

Effective communication is essential at every step of the care pathway. Effective communication with the woman and her carer is particularly important given the prevalence of low health literacy in Australia (estimated at 60 per cent of Australian adults) (ACSQHC 2013). The general or primary medical practitioner who made the referral is responsible for the…

Timeframes for surgery should be informed by evidence-based guidelines (where they exist) while recognising that shorter timelines for appropriate consultations and treatment can reduce the woman’s distress. The following recommended timeframes are based on expert advice from the Cervical Cancer Working Group: Treatment should begin within four weeks of the decision to treat.

Timeframes for completing investigations should be informed by evidence-based guidelines (where they exist) while recognising that shorter timelines for appropriate consultations and treatment can reduce the woman’s distress. The following recommended timeframes are based on expert advice from the Cervical Cancer Working Group: For obvious abnormalities, a colposcopy within two weeks of referral. Diagnostic investigations…

The National Cervical Screening Program aims to prevent cervical cancer by detecting early changes in the cervix. A five-yearly HPV test for women aged 25–74 years began on 1 December 2017 to replace the previous two-yearly Pap test for women aged 18–69 years. The cervical screening test checks for the presence of HPV, the causal…