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 November 2014. Updated in April 2016. This edition published in June 2021.

ISBN: 978-1-76096-147-3

Cancer Council Victoria and Department of Health Victoria 2021, Optimal care pathway for people with lung cancer, 2nd edn, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne.

Enquiries about this publication can be sent to optimalcare.pathways@cancervic.org.au.

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

Professor Kwun Fong (Chair), Thoracic and Sleep Physician, The Prince Charles Hospital and University of Queensland Thoracic Research Centre

Mr Stephen Barnett Thoracic Surgeon, Austin Health and The University of Melbourne

Associate Professor Peter Briggs, Medical Oncologist, Monash Health

Ms Mary Duffy, Nurse Coordinator, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor Jon Emery, Herman Professor of Primary Care Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne

Professor Stephen Fox, Pathologist, Peter McCallum Cancer Centre

Dr Cynleen Kai, Radiation Oncologist, GenesisCare Victoria

Associate Professor Louis Irving, Respiratory Physician, The Royal Melbourne Hospital

Dr Diane Pascoe, Radiologist, The Royal Melbourne Hospital

Professor Robert Thomas, Special Advisor on Health, Professorial Fellow, The University of Melbourne

Ms Julia Brancato, Project Coordinator, Optimal Care Pathways, Cancer Council Victoria

Professor Kwun Fong (Chair), Thoracic and Sleep Physician, The Prince Charles Hospital and University of Queensland Thoracic Research Centre

Mr Stephen Barnett, Thoracic Surgeon, Austin Health

Dr Peter Briggs, Medical Oncologist, Southern Health

Ms Elizabeth Dillon, Social Worker, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor Jon Emery, Academic General Practitioner, The University of Melbourne

Dr Malcolm Feigen, Radiation Oncologist, Austin Health

Dr Maria Ftanou, Clinical Psychologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Dr Raj Hegde, Radiation Oncologist, William Buckland Radiotherapy Gippsland and Alfred Health

Mr Cheng-Hon Yap, Thoracic Surgeon, Barwon Health

Dr Cameron Hunter, Respiratory Physician, Royal Hobart Hospital

Dr Cynleen Kai, Radiation Oncologist, Radiation Oncology Victoria, GenesisCare

Dr Scott King, Clinical Director, Palliative Medicine, Calvary Health Care, Bethlehem

Ms Nicole Kiss, Dietitian, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Mr David McCormick, Social Worker, Barwon Health

Ms Angela Mellerick, Nurse Unit Manager, Chemotherapy Day Unit, Western Health

Dr Greg Mewett, Palliative Care Physician, Ballarat Health Care

Associate Professor Paul Mitchell, Medical Oncologist, Austin Health; Director, North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service

Dr Graham Piston, Radiation Oncologist, Barwon Health Andrew Love Cancer Centre

Ms Lucy Stephenson, Senior Physiotherapist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor Robert Thomas, Chief Advisor on Cancer, Department of Health

Dr Craig Underhill, Medical Oncologist, Border Medical Oncology; Clinical Director, Hume RICS

Advance Care Planning Australia

Allied Health Professions Australia

Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists

Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine, Royal Australia College of Physicians

Australian and New Zealand Society of Neuroradiology

Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Care

Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre

Australian College of Nursing

Australian Medical Association

Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy

Cancer Nurses Society of Australia

Clinical Oncology Society of Australia

Interventional Radiology Society of Australasia

Lung Foundation Australia

Medical Oncology Group of Australia

Oncology Social Workers Australia and New Zealand

Royal Australasian College of Physicians

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia

Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand

Alfred Health

Cancer Australia

Cancer Council Victoria, Strategy and Support Division

Cancer Institute New South Wales

Concord Repatriation General Hospital New South Wales

Consumer representative

Department of Health Victoria, Commissioning and System Improvement Division, Cancer Unit

National Cancer Expert Reference Group

Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

Other stakeholders consulted to provide feedback include relevant Cancer Council committees and networks, Integrated Cancer Services, Primary Health Networks and several health services.

The multidisciplinary team may include the following members:

• cancer care coordinator/ cancer nurse specialist*
• medical oncologist*
• nuclear medicine physician*
• pathologist*
• radiation oncologist*
• radiologist*
• respiratory physician*
• thoracic surgeon*
• Aboriginal health practitioner, Indigenous liaison officer or remote general practitioner
• clinical psychologist
• clinical trials coordinator
• dietitian
• exercise physiologist
• fertility specialist
• general practitioner
• geriatrician
• interventional radiologist
• occupational therapist
• palliative care specialist
• pharmacist
• psychiatrist
• physiotherapist
• social worker
• speech therapist
• spiritual/pastoral care.

* Denotes core members. Core members of the multidisciplinary team are expected to attend most multidisciplinary team meetings either in person or remotely.

Note: In the future, genomic results may require the addition of a clinical geneticist to interpret the results.