This section provides evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, recommendations and guides to help clinicians make decisions about managing and treating breast cancer cases.
They are based on the best evidence available at the time of publication, and we update them when new evidence becomes available.
Optimal care pathway for women with breast cancer
The Optimal Care Pathways outline consistent, safe, high-quality and evidence-based care for people with cancer. Relevant to every step along the cancer continuum, the Optimal Care Pathways aim to improve patient outcomes for people affected by cancer, and ensure that Australians diagnosed with cancer receive the best care irrespective of where they live or receive cancer treatment.
Key principles for optimal cancer care are set out for each step of the patient journey from prevention through to survivorship and end of life care, and optimal timeframes within which tests or procedures should be completed.
National endorsement
The Optimal Care Pathways are endorsed by Cancer Australia, all states and territories and Cancer Council Australia.
For health professionals and health services
Optimal Care Pathway
Quick Reference Guide
For people affected by cancer including patients, carers and families
Guide to Best Cancer Care
For people affected by cancer
Consumer versions of the Optimal Care Pathways are available to help patients and their families and carers to understand the optimal cancer care that should be provided from diagnosis, through to treatment and beyond. They are available in multiple languages.
The Guides to Best Cancer Care include optimal timeframes within which tests or procedures should be completed; prompt lists to support patients to understand what might happen at each step of their cancer experience and to consider what questions to ask; and provide information to help patients and carers communicate with health professionals.
Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer
The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer has been developed with the aim of reducing disparities and improving outcomes and experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer. The Optimal Care Pathway provides guidance to health practitioners and service planners on optimal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer, across the cancer continuum. It complements the best practice information provided in the cancer-specific pathways.
The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer is available in a full version and Quick Reference Guide (summary version).
For health professionals and health services
- Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer (PDF 3.09 MB)
- Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer: Quick Reference Guide (PDF 160.91 KB)
Resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and families affected by cancer
- Our Mob and Cancer
- Checking for cancer – what to expect (PDF 4.07 MB)
- Cancer – what to expect (PDF 4.92 MB)
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
- 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
- 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 hyperplasia
- GP guides and resources
- Follow-up care
- Shared follow-up care
- Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals
- Breast cancer in men
- Cancer Learning
- eviQ Education
- Cancer Council – health professionals
- Royal Australasian College of Physicians
- Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
- Clinical Oncology Society of Australia
- BreastScreen Australia Program
- Breast Cancer Trials
- Australian Cancer Trials
Clinicians can access further information and training from:
- the Cancer Australia statement: influencing best practice in breast cancer, which provides a summary of 12 practices that have been identified as appropriate or inappropriate for the provision of breast cancer care in Australia
- Breast cancer risk factors – a review of the evidence (PDF 4.89 MB), which covers the evidence and epidemiological studies about risk factors for breast cancer, including gender, age, family history, place of residence, hormone levels, lifestyle factors, medical history and environmental factors
- National Framework for Gynaecological Cancer Control (PDF 1.59 MB), which identifies priority areas for action across the gynaecological cancer control continuum, including prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, supportive and palliative care, and research
