Expert working group (previous edition)

Professor Mark Smithers, Queensland Melanoma Project; Director – Upper GI & Soft Tissue, Princess Alexandra Hospital, The University of Queensland (Chair) Dr Sam Berlangieri, Head Clinical PET, Austin Health Ms Hannah Burell, Skin and Melanoma Nurse Coordinator, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Dr Andrew Haydon, Medical Oncologist, Alfred Health Associate Professor John Kelly, Dermatologist, Alfred Health…

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Expert working group (this edition)

Professor Mark Smithers (Chair), Surgeon, Princess Alexandra Hospital and University of Queensland Dr Salvatore Berlangieri, Nuclear Medicine Physician, Austin Health Associate Professor Paul Fishburn, General Practitioner, Norwest Skin Cancer Centre Mr David Gyorki, Surgeon, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Dr Andrew Haydon, Medical Oncologist, Alfred Health Dr Donna Milne, Skin and Melanoma Nurse Consultant, Peter MacCallum…

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Contributors and reviewers

Our thanks to the following health professionals, consumer representatives, stakeholders and organisations consulted in developing this optimal care pathway.

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Statement of acknowledgement

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to the land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging. This work is available from the Cancer Council website. First published in December 2015. This edition published in June 2021.…

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Appendix D: Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies may be used together with conventional medical treatments to support and enhance quality of life and wellbeing. They do not aim to cure the patient’s cancer. Instead, they are used to help control symptoms such as pain and fatigue (Cancer Council Australia 2019). The lead clinician or health professional involved in the patient’s…

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Appendix B: Psychological needs

Distress can occur, particularly for patients with deeply indented scars, such as those that occur with skin grafting and/or with disfigurement, especially of the face, head and neck. Providing patients with tailored and accurate information prior to treatment, facilitating patient decision making about appearance altering treatment, and meeting others with similar personal experience may assist…

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Appendix A: Supportive care domains

Supportive care in cancer refers to the following five domains: the physical domain, which includes a wide range of physical symptoms that may be acute, relatively short lived or ongoing, requiring continuing interventions or rehabilitation the psychological domain, which includes a range of issues related to the patient’s mental health wellbeing and personal relationships the…

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Sexually and gender diverse groups

People who identify as sexually or gender diverse may have unique needs following a cancer diagnosis. Sexually or gender diverse identities include (but are not limited to) people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, collectively ‘LGBT’. There is no universally agreed upon initialism to describe this community, with other terms such as queer/questioning…

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People with chronic mental health or psychiatric concerns

A diagnosis of cancer may present additional challenges to people who have pre-existing chronic mental health or psychiatric concerns, resulting in exacerbation of their mental health symptoms. This may include heightened anxiety, worsening depression or thoughts of self-harm. As poor adjustment and coping can affect treatment decisions, people who are known to have a mental…

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Members of the multidisciplinary team for head and neck cancer (formerly Appendix E)

The multidisciplinary team may include the following members: care coordinator (as determined by multidisciplinary team members)* dermatologist* medical oncologist* nuclear medicine physician* nurse (with appropriate expertise)* pathologist* radiation oncologist* radiologist/imaging specialists* surgeon* Aboriginal health practitioner, Indigenous liaison officer or remote general practitioner clinical trials coordinator dietitian exercise physiologist fertility specialist general practitioner occupational therapist palliative…

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