About cancer survivorship and the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC)
Over one million Australians are living with or beyond their cancer diagnosis. This is due to advances in early detection, better treatments, and the ageing of the population. Cancer survivorship care refers to the time following active cancer treatments. This may also be known as post-treatment follow-up care. While many people go on to lead normal lives, there may be mixed emotions and worry about the future. For some it’s not always an easy transition and cancer can have a lasting impact including:
- ongoing side effects of treatment
- fear of cancer coming back
- other physical, emotional, financial and social concerns.
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre recognise ‘cancer survivors’ as people who have been diagnosed with cancer, from the time of diagnosis throughout their life. Cancer can also have a lasting impact on survivors’ family members, friends and caregivers.
Cancer care has traditionally focused on diagnosis and treatment. However, research shows it is just as important to focus on helping cancer survivors cope with life beyond their acute treatment. Cancer survivors may experience different issues compared to people having active treatment for cancer. It is important that survivors understand what to expect and are provided with the right information and support at the right time.
Quality cancer survivorship care should involve:
- monitoring to detect cancer coming back and new cancers
- support and monitoring for physical, emotional, social and practical effects of cancer and cancer treatment
- management of any other health conditions
- supporting and promoting wellness and healthy lifestyle
- coordinated care between all health professionals involved
About the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre is a passionate, multidisciplinary team with a vision to improve the health and wellbeing of cancer survivors and their carers. We work with cancer survivors, health professionals, community organisations, and policy makers. The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre does not offer clinical services. Instead, we work with healthcare providers to ensure that survivors receive the best possible care. We provide:
- information and support to survivors and carers
- education and training for health professionals
- and cancer survivorship leadership and guidance
While we are based at Peter Mac and our primary focus is on Victoria, we also engage and contribute on a national and international level.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre’s resources, events, education and work, we invite you to explore the links below:
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre has a statewide role in the development of education and resources for both survivors and health professionals. We provide advice regarding models of care, and while research is not our primary focus, we strongly support and collaborate in research relevant to survivorship.
Our Strategic Plan 2020-2025 sets our priorities and objectives to support optimal outcomes for cancer survivors and their carers over the coming years. Current work of the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre addresses the six strategic priorities which include:
- Provide information and support for survivors and carers
- Provide survivorship education and training for health professionals
- Support improved models of survivorship care
- Conduct and support survivorship research
- Provide leadership around cancer survivorship
- Delivering a robust, collaborative and sustainable program
For more information download a copy of ACSC’s current Strategic Plan 2020-2025.
Current projects
In addition to our core work, the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre is currently delivering two separately funded statewide survivorship care projects:
Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre key highlights
We invite you to read more about Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre’s highlights:
Survivorship in the news
2022
Holistic care for cancer survivors, published in The Lancet’s 16 April 2022 edition. Prof Michael Jefford, Director of the ACSC, co-led the series, with Prof Jon Emery (University of Melbourne) and Dr Emily Tonorezos (Office of Cancer Survivorship, US National Cancer Institute). The three papers address common issues experienced by survivors, their clinical management, and the design of current and improved models of cancer care. The third paper focuses on issues and concerns for those who are survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence. Dr Jeremy Lewin, Medical Director of Peter Mac’s ONTrac adolescent and young adult service, contributed to the third paper. Other Peter Mac contributors are Dr Karolina Lisy, Senior Research Fellow, ACSC and the Department of Health Services Research (DHSR), and Dr Julia Lai-Kwon, medical oncologist, and PhD student, DHSR.
- Management of common clinical problems experienced by survivors of cancer
- Improved models of care for cancer survivors
- Long-term care for people treated for cancer during childhood and adolescence
Newsletters
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre publishes several newsletters and an annual year in review:
2024
2023
2022
Publications
2024
Lai-Kwon J, Rutherford C, Jefford M, Gore C, Best S. Using implementation science frameworks to guide the use of electronic patient-reported outcome symptom monitoring in routine cancer care. JCO Oncol Pract. 2024:20(3):335–349. doi: 10.1200/OP.23.00462
Maharaj AD, Roberts N, Jefford M, Ng J, Rutherford C, Koczwara B. The use of patient reported outcome measures in oncology clinical practice across Australia and New Zealand. J Patient Rep Outcomes. 2024;8(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s41687-023-00664-x
Livingston PM, Winter N, Ugalde A, Orellana L, Mikocka-Walus A, Jefford M, et al. iCare–a self-directed, interactive online program to improve health and wellbeing for people living with upper gastrointestinal or hepato-pancreato-biliary cancers, and their informal carers: the study protocol for a Phase II randomised controlled trial. BMC Cancer. 2024;24(1):144. doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-11861-2
Pillay B, Ritchie D, Panek-Hudson Y, Jefford M, Garcia T, Shields C, et al. Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a psychosexual intervention for couples post-allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Integr Cancer Ther. 2024;23:15347354241230956. doi: 10.1177/15347354241230956
Jefford M, Chan RJ, Emery JD. Shared care is an appropriate model for many cancer survivors. J Clin Onc. 2024;JCO-23. doi: 10.1200/JCO.23.02683
Milley K, Druce P, McNamara M, Bergin RJ, Chan RJ, Cust AE, Davis N, Fishman G, Jefford M, Rankin N, Yates P, Emery J. Cancer in general practice research priorities in Australia. Aust J Gen Pract. 2024 Apr;53(4):227–234. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-02-23-6699
Laidsaar-Powell R, Giunta S, Butow P, Turner S, Costa D, Saunders C, Koczwara B, Kay J, Jefford M, Schofield P, Boyle F. An online intervention to improve oncology health professional self-efficacy in communicating with carers: Hybrid effectiveness-implementation evaluation of the eTRIO program. Patient Educ Couns. 2024;108251. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2024.108251
Laidsaar-Powell R, Giunta S, Butow P, Keast R, Koczwara B, Kay J, Jefford M, Turner S, Saunders C, Schofield P, Boyle F. Development of Web-Based Education Modules to Improve Carer Engagement in Cancer Care: Design and User Experience Evaluation of the e-Triadic Oncology (eTRIO) Modules for Clinicians, Patients, and Carers. JMIR Med Educ. 2024;10:e50118. doi: 10.2196/50118
Loeliger J, Francis J, Kiss N, Stewart J, Chandler S, Donohoe K, Hughes V, Swan W, Kaegi K, Elliott A, McIntosh R. Enhancing the provision of cancer nutrition information to support care through experience-based co-design: a mixed-methods study. Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(4):257. doi: 10.1007/s00520-024-08453-y.
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General enquiries
- Phone: (03) 8559 6220
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Join our ACSC mailing list.
Manager
- Phone: (03) 8559 6225
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Mailing address
Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Locked Bag 1, A'Beckett St, Melbourne
Victoria 8006
Prof Michael Jefford, Celebrating 10 years of the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (2010-2020)
Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre Director, Prof Michael Jefford, shares about the ACSC, what we do and our team, in the following video.
Supporters
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre would like to thank our supporters, collaborators, staff, volunteers and broader networks for all that you do to improve outcomes for people affected by cancer.
The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Victorian Government proudly support the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre.