Health professionals
This section provides links to a range of breast cancer guidelines, recommendations and guides, including any relevant updates.
Latest updates
Optimal cancer care pathways for breast cancer
These clinical guides for health professionals set out key principles for optimal care at each step of the patient journey from prevention through to survivorship / end of life care.
The guides have been endorsed by the National Cancer Expert Reference Group, Cancer Australia and Cancer Council Australia.
Patients and their family and carers can use the consumer versions to better understand an often complex health system, and to know what questions to ask of their health professionals to ensure they receive the best care at every step.
Help your patients and their family and carers understand the process they are going through by printing and sharing these guides as appropriate.
- View the Optimal Cancer Care Pathways or download consumer PDFs from www.cancer.org.au/OCP
- View the interactive consumer web portal at www.cancerpathways.org.au
- View the Breast cancer care pathway
The investigation of a new breast symptom: a guide for General Practitioners
The investigation of a new breast symptom: a guide for General Practitioners helps to maximise the effectiveness of investigation of women who present to their General Practitioner with a new breast symptom.
The guide indicates steps to be taken in investigating symptoms that could be breast cancer, and provides information about the triple test approach to diagnosis. The triple test is the recommended approach to investigating new breast symptoms. The triple test involves patient history and clinical breast examination; mammography and/or ultrasound imaging; and the use of non-excisional biopsy. When performed appropriately, the triple test will detect over 99.6% of breast cancers.
The investigation of a new breast symptom: a guide for General Practitioners has been officially recognised as an Accepted Clinical Resource by The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
Breast cancer online courses
Cancer Australia has developed six breast cancer online courses in collaboration with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). The modules present the latest information on breast cancer diagnosis and management through an engaging and user-friendly learning experience, encouraging primary care health professionals to implement evidence-based practices when caring for people affected by breast cancer across the cancer care continuum.
The courses are available free of charge for ACRRM members on ACRRM’s online learning platform. For non-ACRRM members who would like to apply for free access to these courses (sponsored via Cancer Australia), please click here to register.
Find out more about:
- Guidance for the management of early breast cancer
- eviQ referral guidelines for breast cancer risk assessment and consideration of genetic testing
- eviQ General practitioner referral guidelines for cancer genetics assessment
- About the MammaPrint® (70 gene signature) test for early breast cancer
- The Cancer Australia Statement – Influencing best practice in breast cancer
- Management of menopausal symptoms in women with a history of breast cancer - clinical practice guideline
- Screening and early detection of breast cancer
- Breast cancer diagnosis
- Early breast cancer
- Metastatic breast cancer
- Ductal carcinoma in situ
- Lobular carcinoma in situ and atypical hyperplasias
- GP guides and resources
- Follow-up care
- Shared follow-up care
- Breast cancer Qstream – primary care across the cancer continuum
- Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals
- Breast cancer in men