Navigating breast cancer treatment in Australia- what do I do?

A cancer diagnosis can bring on a range of emotions.¹ Yet it’s important to remember you are not alone, as breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian women.² Overall, in 2022, breast cancer accounted for 12.7% of all new cancers diagnosed in Australia.³ But with prompt detection and treatment, the prognosis can be very encouraging.⁴ Here we offer some guidance around early treatment steps, as well as interacting with your primary treating doctor/care team during your treatment journey.

First steps

There are several steps that usually occur after a breast cancer diagnosis.⁵ Firstly, your GP will likely refer you to a primary treating doctor, which could be either a surgeon with a clinical interest in breast cancer or a medical oncologist.⁶  Your cancer may be discussed at a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting, which may involve radiation oncologists, surgeons and breast cancer nurses who will develop a recommended treatment plan.^5,6,7  Your care team will then discuss with you what they believe are the right treatment steps for  your case .⁶

As breast cancer can have many types of cancer cells the treatment options vary. They may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone-blocking therapy and/or immunotherapy .^5,8-11  Which type of treatment you’ll receive depends on several factors such as tumour biology, your unique situation, health and your preferences. ^11,12 Your treatment plan will cover all the relevant details .^7,12 It may also be the case that not all treatments will be available at your local treatment clinic, and you may need to make plans to travel elsewhere for a period of time. ¹³

You have a say too!

Always remember that at any stage you have the right to choose the clinical interest specialist(s) you are comfortable with, and that you feel you can trust. Your treatment should be a collaborative effort, and you should feel empowered to discuss anything you are unsure about.^7,11 Your GP can also offer support here.¹¹ It is also possible that you might know or have heard of other people whose treatment program may seem different to yours – but bear in mind that each case is unique and will usually have different goals.^11,12 As always, if you are unsure or concerned about anything, have a chat with your GP and/or care team.

Background research – read reliable sources

It’s ok to do some of your own research, but if you google search ‘breast cancer’, there are more than 2,000,000,000 results alone!¹⁴ So, when doing some research, try to stick to reputable information sources, especially around treatment services. Some examples include:

• Cancer Council www.cancer.org.au
• Cancer Australia www.canceraustralia.gov.au
• Breast Cancer network Australia (BCNA) www.bcna.org.au

Your GP and primary treating doctor can also guide you further.

This blog is provided for information purposes only. It is not a substitute for your own health care professional's advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any medical procedure or treatment carries risks. Individual treatment outcomes and experiences will vary.