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 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.
Read More7.3 Support and communication
Expert working group
Assoc. Prof. Linda Mileshkin (Chair), Medical Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Dr Amey Aurangabadkar, Radiologist, Illawarra Radiology Group Prof. David Ball, Radiation Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Prof. David Bowtell, Genomics Specialist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Ms Cindy Bryant, Consumer representative and nurse Ms Julie Callaghan, System Improvement Program Lead, Cancer Institute NSW Dr Tina…
Read More7.2 Research and clinical trials
Participation in research and clinical trials should be encouraged where available and appropriate. Australian Cancer Trials is a national clinical trials database. It provides information on the latest clinical trials in cancer care, including trials that are recruiting new participants. For more information visit the Australian Cancer Trials website.
Read MoreMedical colleges and peak organisations invited to provide feedback
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…
Read More5.1 Survivorship
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…
Read More7.1 Multidisciplinary palliative care
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…
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