Allied Health Professions Australia Australian Society of Gynaecological Oncologists Australian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists Australian and New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Care Australian Chapter of Palliative Medicine, Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australian College of Nursing Australian Institute of Radiography Australian Medical Association Interventional Radiology Society of…

Survival from CUP is improving over time (Riihimaki et al. 2013b). Between 2010 and 2014, people diagnosed with CUP had a 14 per cent chance of surviving for five years compared with the age- and sex-matched general Australian population. This has increased from 6 per cent between 1984 and 1988 (AIHW 2018). While long-term survival…

If not already underway, referral to palliative care should be considered at this stage (including nursing, pastoral care, palliative medicine specialist backup, inpatient palliative bed access as required, social work, neuro-psychology/psychiatry and bereavement counselling), with GP engagement. If not already in place, the patient and carer should be encouraged to develop an advance care plan…

For people from diverse backgrounds in Australia, a cancer diagnosis can come with additional complexities, particularly when English proficiency is poor. In some languages there is not a direct translation of the word ‘cancer’, which can make communicating vital information difficult. Perceptions of cancer and related issues can differ greatly in those from culturally diverse…

The burden of cancer is higher in the Australian Indigenous population (AIHW 2014). Survival also significantly decreases as remoteness increases. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia have high rates of certain lifestyle risk factors including tobacco smoking, higher alcohol consumption, poor diet and low levels of physical activity (Cancer Australia 2015). The high…

Recent years have seen the emergence of adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology as a distinct field due to lack of progress in survival and quality-of-life outcomes (Ferrari et al. 2010, NCI & USDHHS 2006, Smith et al. 2013). The significant developmental change that occurs during this life stage complicates a diagnosis of cancer during…

Planning and delivering appropriate cancer care for older people presents a number of challenges. Improved communication between the fields of oncology and geriatrics is required to facilitate the delivery of best practice care, which takes into account physiological age, complex comorbidities, risk of adverse events and drug interactions as well as the implications of cognitive…