Your guide to best cancer care - Cancer Council's Optimal Care Pathways

Australia has some of the best cancer survival rates in the world, but unfortunately this success masks some stark inequalities. The disparities in cancer survival outcomes is often due to barriers to access and differences in treatment or services received.

Cancer Council is committed to reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes. We’re here for all Australians affected by cancer and so we have developed a suite of resources for people affected by cancer, including their carers, family and friends called Your Guide to Best Cancer Care. These guides were developed in consultation with people affected by cancer and are endorsed by government. They reflect best care by cancer type. To date 19 cancer specific guides have been developed and they are also available in seven languages as well as English. These include Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Greek, Italian, Hindi and Tagalog language resources.

There are also dedicated resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

You don’t have to do this alone

A cancer diagnosis can be difficult to take in and the treatment pathway for people affected by cancer can be complex, involving multiple health care professionals and a range of settings, both public and private.

Making sense of what happens next can be hard. People often have many questions but don’t know where to begin or are unsure of which questions to ask. Our best cancer care guides are designed to help all Australians at every point of their cancer experience. They describe a national standard of high-quality cancer care that all Australians should expect. We want to ensure that people affected by cancer are put at the centre of care decisions.

While everyone’s cancer experience is different, knowing the best cancer care options and the questions to ask, helps cancer patients and their loved ones feel more in control of making informed treatment decisions.

To help all Australians understand each step of cancer treatment, go to Cancer Council's guides to best cancer care - because we won't stop until cancer does.