Cancer Voices

Website links

Cancer information and support

Cancer types and treatments
Treatment Guidelines
Understanding tests and results
Complementary Therapies
Survivorship
Support
Cancer Prevention
Clinical Trials
Special groups
Specific Cancer Issues
Palliative Care
Loss and grief
Financial issues
Shared health-decision making
Advocacy
Complaints

Cancer Resources

Advocacy Tools
Best practice cancer care
Cancer Screening in Australia
Cancer Organisations in Australia
Cancer Statistics
Cancer Initiatives, Policy and Planning

Understanding Your Rights This useful booklet by the Cancer Council NSW sets out what patients can reasonably expect, both from health services and themselves as they undertake the cancer journey. Order a copy by ringing the Cancer Helpline in any state around Australia ph:131120.

Cancer types and treatments

The sites listed below each provide information about many types of cancer, symptoms, treatments, clinical trials, coping with cancer, screening and diagnosing cancer. (The funding source for these sites is shown in brackets).

  • CancerBackUp UK Cancerbackup's mission is informing, understanding, supporting - to give cancer patients and their families the up-to-date information, practical advice and support they need to reduce the fear and uncertainty of cancer (charity organisation).
  • CancerHelp UK provides detailed patient information about specific cancers, symptoms, treatments, side effects and clinical trials (check out the 'Site Map'). It is part of Cancer Research UK a leading charity in the UK dedicated to cancer research. Other sections of the Cancer Research UK site are: Cancer & Research, Cancer Statistics, Cancer prevention (charity organisation).
  • Cancer Buddies Network website has links to good sites to find information.
  • CancerNetWork.com has comprehensive information from the textbook Cancer Management: a multidisciplinary approach, as well as information for patients: Myths and Facts.
  • The Cancer Council New South Wales has booklets and online information (charity organisation).
  • The Cancer Council SA provides information and links to local services, counselling and support groups (charity organisation).
  • Better Health Channel Health and medical information for consumers, quality assured by the Victorian government (Australian government).
  • American National Cancer Institute is a comprehensive site reflecting the Institutes role in coordinating cancer research programs on cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and control (US government).
  • Cancer.Net has comprehensive oncologist approved cancer information from the American Society of Clinical Oncology & The ASCO Foundation (US non profit professional organisation representing physicians who treat people with cancer)
  • American Cancer Society provides information for consumers and health professionals. 'Choose a cancer topic' lists cancer types (charity organisation).
  • Livestrong Cancer Support aims to help help you understand what to expect, what questions to ask (non profit organisation)
  • National Comprehensive Cancer Network – provides information in alliance with the American Cancer Society (Clinical professionals from 21 US cancer centres contribute to this not-for-profit alliance)
  • National Comprehensive Cancer Network - consumer focussed information
  • HealthInsite is an Australian government initiative to provide reliable health information (Australian government).
  • Rare cancers - The Rare Cancer Alliance provides information about rare types of cancer or pediatric cancers, as well as basic information useful for all types of cancer. Check the site-map for an overview to good links.

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Treatment Guidelines

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Understanding tests and results

  • Lab Tests Online is an Australian 'Quality use of Pathology' initiative (not only for cancer) (Example: Select Conditions & Diseases 'Prostate Cancer')
  • MyBiopsy by the College of American Pathologists has information about cancer tests.
  • Cancer World Media Resources links to sites that may be useful aids for understanding medical terminology and for definitions. The Cancer Media Service (CMS) is a resource for journalists operated by the European School of Oncology (ESO). The CMS aims to improve the quality of cancer journalism by helping to put news about cancer in context and explaining the science behind the stories.

Complementary Therapies

Complementary Therapies are used alongside conventional cancer treatments for symptom relief.  

Most complementary therapy practitioners in Australia are 'unregistered' eg massage therapists, acupuncturists, counsellors, naturopaths, herbalists. Unregistered practitioners - what to expect and what to do if you have concerns about an unregistered practitioner (information sheet, Oct 08).

'Bogus' CAM practitioners under spotlight in SA (June 2009)

Inquiry into Bogus, Unregistered and Deregistered Health Practitioners (South Australian Parliamentary Inquiry, published June 2009)

Researchers may be interested in reports by the Australian National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS):

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Survivorship

These resources may help you, your family and friends weather the physical, emotional, psychological, social effects after a cancer diagnosis.

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Support

Cancer Prevention

Clinical Trials

General advice about Clinical Trial participation,

Find cancer trials

Be aware that websites based overseas may describe Cancer Trials that do not have any recruitment centres in Australia.

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Special groups

We recognise that some groups and populations have special needs and interests when it comes to cancer treatment and care.

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Specific Cancer Issues

Palliative Care

  • CareSearch is an evidence-based resource for palliative care professionals, patients, carers and the general community.
  • Palliative Care Council SA is a valuable information resource on palliative care services provided in South Australia and nationally.
  • Palliative Care Australia has launched a new national online directory of palliative care services. Visitors to the website will be able to type in the postcode where they live and see the contact details for the service/s that cover that location. Other resources include
    • Journeys – Palliative Care for Children and Teenagers is an information resource which aims to better prepare and equip families and carers for the many situations and issues they may face as they live with their child’s illness. It is a starting point in identifying where to look or who to go to for specific information and support which best meets their needs

Coping with Loss and grief

  • Grief Link is a South Australian site (see Topics: Cancer, or Coping with Grief, or Helping the bereaved)

Financial issues

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Shared health-decision making

Risk statistics can be made simple, and this may help you feel better equipped to actively participate in decisions about your healthcare.

Advocacy

Health and Cancer advocacy organisations

  • Cancer Voices Australia is a national network providing a forum for people in Australia affected by cancer. Through our network of state Cancer Voices we share issues, ideas and experiences that are common across all cancer types.
  • Health Consumers Alliance of South Australia is the not for profit, peak community organisation for health consumers using SA health services.
  • Consumers Health Forum of Australia is the national voice for health consumers. It helps shape Australia’s health system by representing and involving consumers in health policy and program development, and is an independent member-based non-government organisation for health consumers.
  • American National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship is a survivor-led cancer advocacy organization, advocating for quality cancer care for all Americans and empowering cancer survivors. NCCS believes in evidence-based advocacy for systemic changes at the federal level in how the nation researches, regulates, finances, and delivers quality cancer care.
  • Lance Armstrong Foundation Advocacy
  • Choice - tests products and services so that consumers can buy the best, and also lobby industry and government for stronger consumer protection laws or safer products. Current Health campaigns.
  • Links to additional resources can be found in our Cancer Voices Library or in the Advocacy Tools section below.

Complaints

Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner The HCSCC helps people – service users, carers and service providers – resolve complaints about health and community services, when a direct approach to the service provider is either unreasonable, or has not succeeded.

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Cancer Resources

Advocacy Tools

Best practice cancer care

Multidisciplinary care is a collaborative approach to treatment planning and ongoing care throughout the treatment pathway. Multidisciplinary care aims to ensure that members of the treatment and care team can discuss all relevant aspects of a cancer patient’s physical and psychosocial needs along with other factors impacting upon the patient’s care.

The Cancer Learning online hub is an initiative of Cancer Australia and aims to:

  • consolidate the enormous variety of evidence-based learning activities, resources and information in cancer care available across Australia and overseas
  • provide a first port of call for health professionals, organisations and cancer networks who wish to undertake, build or plan professional development programs and activities in cancer care
  • enable resources and information to be shared by cancer care providers across Australia.

 “Find” cancer learning activities, for example

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Cancer Screening Programs

Cancer Organisations in Australia

  • Cancer Australia Cancer Australia is a national government agency, working to reduce the impact of cancer on all Australians. It aims to work in partnership with consumers, health professionals, cancer organisations, researchers and governments, to improve outcomes for all people affected by cancer and particularly for those people whose survival rates or cancer experiences are poorer. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people living in rural and regional areas, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people who are socio-economically disadvantaged.
  • The Cancer Council Australia is Australia's peak national non-government cancer control organisation. The Cancer Council Australia advises the Australian Government and other bodies on practices and policies to help prevent, detect and treat cancer.

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Cancer Statistics

Cancer Initiatives, Policy and Planning

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