Your breast cancer multidisciplinary team – who does what?

At GenesisCare we focus on you, the individual, not just the condition, and use the latest technology and advanced techniques to treat cancer. Your doctor and treatment team will develop a detailed understanding of your needs, in order to design the right care plan for you.

The type of breast cancer treatment you receive will depend on your diagnosis, your general health, and personal preferences.

In most cases, treatment for breast cancer begins with surgery to remove the tumour. This may be followed by radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or endocrine therapy. All treatment is individually planned. Sometimes chemotherapy, endocrine therapy or radiation therapy is given before surgery. Your doctor will advise which treatment schedule is best for you.

Several team members are responsible for delivering your treatment. Who you will see will depend on what treatment you are to receive:

• The medical oncologist is a doctor specialised in diagnosing and treating cancer using drug therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or endocrine therapy.
• The radiation oncologist is a specialised doctor who is responsible for prescribing and overseeing a course of radiation therapy.
• The radiation therapist plans and delivers the radiation therapy.
• The oncology nurse provides 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.
• The medical physicist ensures the treatment plans are delivered accurately by the radiation therapy machine.
• The dosimetrist helps the radiation oncologist calculate the radiation dose.
• The patient services officer is your first point of contact, and the person who provides administrative support to staff, patients and clinicians to ensure that a high quality, professional and efficient administration service is consistently provided to patients.
• The engineer ensures the effective operation of all treatment and simulation equipment including repairs and any other necessary modifications.

GenesisCare recognise that a cancer diagnosis is life changing. We understand these emotions and strive to strengthen your confidence and create care experiences for the best possible outcomes. Your team are here to guide you to get the support you require, which may include:

• A psychologist who helps manage emotional responses to diagnosis and treatment.
• A physiotherapist or occupational therapist who help with physical and practical problems (for example, helping restore movement and recommending equipment to assist with this).
• A dietician who recommends an eating plan for use during treatment and recovery.
• An exercise physiologist who specialises in prescribing and supervising exercise for individuals with complex health conditions.

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.