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 May 2015. This edition published in June 2021

ISBN: 978-1-76096-148-0

Cancer Council Victoria and Department of Health Victoria 2021 Optimal care pathway for people with oesophagogastric 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 David Watson (Chair), Oesophagogastric Surgeon, Flinders Medical Centre

Mrs Emily Banting, Upper GI Cancer Nurse Coordinator, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

Mr Jeff Bull, Upper GI Cancer Nurse Consultant, Flinders Medical Centre

Dr Julie Chu, Radiation Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Dr Nicola Poplawski, Clinical Geneticist, Royal Adelaide Hospital

Professor Rajvinder Singh, Gastroenterologist, Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals

Dr Amitesh Roy, Medical Oncologist, Flinders Medical Centre

Dr Jonathan Shenfine, Oesophagogastric Surgeon, Flinders Medical Centre

Professor Mark Smithers, Upper GI Surgeon, Princess Alexandra Hospital

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

Ms Julia Brancato, Project Coordinator, Cancer Council Victoria

Professor David Watson (Chair), Head of Flinders University Department of Surgery and OesophagoGastric Surgery Unit, Flinders Medical Centre

Dr Ahmad Aly, Head Upper GI Surgery, Austin Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne

Assoc. Professor Alex Boussioutas, Gastroenterologist/Endoscopist, Clinical Researcher, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Western Health, The University of Melbourne

Ms Tara Bunting, Upper GI Cancer Nurse Coordinator, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

Dr Gary Crosthwaite, Upper GI Surgeon, Director General Surgery and Gastroenterology, Epworth Hospital, The Royal Melbourne Hospital

Ms Bronwyn Jones, Upper GI Cancer Care Coordinator, Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Associate Professor Michael Michael, Chair, Upper GI Service; Medical Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Dr Jon Shenfine, Upper GI Surgeon, Consultant General and Oesophagogastric Surgeon, Royal Adelaide Hospital Department of Surgery; Senior Lecturer, The University of Adelaide

Professor Mark Smithers, Surgeon, Director, Upper GI Soft Tissue Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital

Professor Robert Thomas, Chief Advisor on Cancer, Department of Health and Human Services, Victoria

Alexandra Viner, Project Manager Optimal Care Pathways, Cancer Council Victoria

Ms Kellie Wright, Senior Dietitian, Cabrini Health

Dr Zee Wan Wong, Medical Oncologist, Clinical Director, Goulburn Valley Health; Senior Lecturer, Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne

Advance Care Planning Australia

Allied Health Professions Australia

Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists

Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine, Royal Australia College of Physicians

Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group

Australian and New Zealand Gastric and Oesophageal Surgery Association

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

Dietitians Australia

Gastroenterological Society of Australia

Interventional Radiology Society of Australasia

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

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:

• dietitian*
• interventional endoscopist (gastroenterologist or surgeon)*
• medical oncologist*
• oesophagogastric cancer nurse care coordinator*
• oesophagogastric surgeon*
• pathologist*
• radiation oncologist*
• upper GI radiologist*
• Aboriginal health practitioner, Indigenous liaison officer or remote general practitioner
• anaesthetist
• exercise physiologist
• fertility specialist
• general practitioner
• geneticist
• nuclear medicine physician
• physiotherapist
• palliative care specialist
• social worker
• 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.