Your breast cancer multidisciplinary team – who does what?

At GenesisCare we focus on you, the individual, not just the condition, and use modern technology and techniques aiming to deliver the best possible patient outcomes. Your doctor and treatment team aim to develop a complete understanding of your needs, thereby helping to design an appropriate care plan for each patient.

The type of breast cancer treatment you are offered will be based on your doctor’s treatment plan.¹ Depending on your treatment plan, treatment for breast cancer can involve up to several approaches including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or endocrine therapy.^1,2 As part of your treatment, you might also have various doctors involved who have clinical interests in areas of medical oncology, surgery and radiological medicine.² Our team will always discuss treatment options and the step-by-step process with you.

Your treatment team will usually involve several people, such as:^3-7

• Medical oncologist(s) - are doctors with a clinical interest in diagnosing and treating cancer using drug therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or endocrine therapy.
• Radiation oncologist(s) – are doctors with a clinical interest in prescribing and overseeing a course of radiation therapy
• Radiation therapist(s) – help plan and deliver the radiation therapy
• Oncology nurse(s) – help provide care, information, and support for managing side effects and other issues that might be encountered throughout the treatment, and for monitoring your health during treatment
• Medical physicist(s) – help ensure the treatment plans are delivered accurately by the radiation therapy machine
• Medical dosimetrist(s) – help with treatment planning and dosage administration
• Patient services officer(s) – a person who helps provides administrative support to staff, patients, and clinicians

We recognise that a cancer diagnosis can be emotionally life changing.⁸ Our aim is to gain your trust and confidence to create a positive experience during your treatment journey. Our team are here to offer you support and access to services such as:^9-11

• Psychologists - who help manage emotional responses to diagnosis
• Physiotherapists - who help with physical and practical problems
• Dieticians - who recommend an eating plan for use during treatment and recovery
• Exercise physiologists - specialise in prescribing and supervising exercise for individuals with complex health conditions.

Disclaimers

Please note the above services are not available at all Australian GenesisCare centres. Your doctor and treatment team will be able to provide recommendations for the support you would like throughout your treatment.

Any medical procedure or treatment involving the use of radiation carries risks, including skin irritation and associated pain. Before proceeding with treatment, you should discuss the risks and benefits of the treatment with an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Individual treatment outcomes and experiences will vary.