STEP 4: Treatment
Treatment options: Treatment should be individualised according to the clinicopathological subset and the suspected primary site. Patients in the specific-CUP subset who have good-prognosis CUP should be treated the same as patients with equivalent known primary tumours with metastatic disease. For patients with a non-specific subset of CUP, but who have a favourable prognosis, a…
Read MoreCulturally and linguistically diverse communities
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…
Read MoreAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
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…
Read More5.3 Support and communication
Adolescents and young adults
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…
Read MoreOlder people with cancer (aged 70 years or older)
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…
Read MoreStatement 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 January 2020. ISBN: 978 1 76096 154 1…
Read MoreAppendix A: Supportive care
Supportive care in cancer refers to the following five domains: physical domain, which includes a wide range of physical symptoms that may be acute, relatively short-lived or ongoing, requiring continuing interventions or rehabilitation (NBCC & NCCI 2003) psychological domain, which includes a range of issues related to the person’s mental health and personal relationships (NBCC…
Read MoreAcknowledgements
Our thanks to the following health professionals, consumer representatives, stakeholders and organisations consulted in the development of this optimal care pathway.
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