Cancer Australia position statements address significant clinical issues, emerging issues in cancer control and issues of ongoing interest using the best available evidence.
  • Position Statement on the use of fine needle aspiration and core biopsy of the breast in the BreastScreen Australia program

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: 當前
    Summary:

    The purpose of this Position Statement is to provide guidance on the use of fine needle aspiration (FNA)[1] and core biopsy for the assessment of abnormalities identified through population screening for breast cancer. The Position Statement will establish national BreastScreen Australia policy on breast biopsy and support best practice care in the BreastScreen Australia program.

  • Influencing best practice in breast cancer

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Greater than 5 years. This resource was developed, reviewed or revised more than 5 years ago and may no longer reflect current evidence or best practice.
    Summary:

    Cancer Australia, the Government’s national cancer control agency, aims to reduce the impact of cancer, address disparities and improve outcomes for people affected by cancer, by leading and coordinating national, evidence-based interventions across the continuum of care. In line with Cancer Australia’s Strategic Plan 2014-2019, the Cancer Australia Statement – Influencing best practice in breast cancer has been developed to improve cancer outcomes and inform effective and sustainable cancer care.

  • Testing for ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Greater than 5 years. This resource was developed, reviewed or revised more than 5 years ago and may no longer reflect current evidence or best practice.
    Summary:

    Please note that this information was updated in August 2021 with the final results of the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS). The purpose of this Position Statement is to provide information and guidance in relation to routine screening of women who are at population risk of ovarian cancer, and surveillance of women who are at high or potentially high risk of developing ovarian cancer. The scope encompasses unimodal and multimodal strategies for early detection of ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women. The scope does not include diagnostic testing for assessment of individual women presenting with symptoms. 

  • Genetic testing for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Greater than 5 years. This resource was developed, reviewed or revised more than 5 years ago and may no longer reflect current evidence or best practice.
    Summary:

    The purpose of this Position Statement is to provide information and recommendations on genetic testing for women diagnosed with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer, based on available evidence and on consensus. The scope of this Position Statement encompasses genetic testing for heritable, or germline, gene mutations, with a focus on genetic testing of BRCA1 and BRCA2. The intended audiences are health professionals, medical colleges, consumers, media and policy makers.

  • Lifestyle risk factors and the primary prevention of cancer

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Greater than 5 years. This resource was developed, reviewed or revised more than 5 years ago and may no longer reflect current evidence or best practice.
    Summary:

    It is estimated that at least one third of all cancer cases are preventable, and that potentially more than half of all cancers could be avoided through a combination of healthy lifestyle and regular screening. Prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for the control of cancer across the population.  This positon statement includes recommendations for adults to reduce their risk of cancer and stay healthy.

  • Overdiagnosis from mammographic screening

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Rescinded

    This resource is 10 years or older and has been rescinded by Cancer Australia.  It is available to the public for research and reference purposes only. Cancer Australia assumes no legal liability or responsibility for errors or omissions contained within.

    Summary:

    This position statement outlines the evidence for mammographic screening and estimates of overdiagnosis. “Overdiagnosis” from breast screening does not refer to error or misdiagnosis, but rather refers to breast cancer diagnosed by screening that would not otherwise have been diagnosed during a woman’s lifetime. “Overdiagnosis” includes all instances where cancers detected through screening (ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive breast cancer) might never have progressed to become symptomatic during a woman’s life, i.e., cancer that would not have been detected in the absence of screening.1 It is not possible to precisely predict at diagnosis, to which cancers overdiagnosis would apply.

  • Population screening and early detection of ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Superseded.

    This information has been superseded in-full or in-part by an updated version. It is available to the public for research and reference purposes only. Cancer Australia assumes no legal liability or responsibility for errors or omissions contained within. A link to the more recent resource(s) will also be added.

    Summary:

    This position statement and supporting background information has been endorsed by the following colleges and agencies: the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Society Gynaecologic Oncologists, Cancer Council Australia, the Screening Subcommittee of the Department of Health and Ageing, and The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia.

  • Surveillance of women at high or potentially high risk of ovarian cancer

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Superseded.

    This information has been superseded in-full or in-part by an updated version. It is available to the public for research and reference purposes only. Cancer Australia assumes no legal liability or responsibility for errors or omissions contained within. A link to the more recent resource(s) will also be added.

    Summary:

    Familial clusters of ovarian cancer have been recognised for many years and family history has been identified as a risk factor in epidemiological studies that have investigated its role.

  • Early detection of breast cancer

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Greater than 5 years. This resource was developed, reviewed or revised more than 5 years ago and may no longer reflect current evidence or best practice.
    Summary:

    This position statement applies to the early detection of breast cancer in asymptomatic women (women without breast changes). The statement does not apply to diagnostic tests used to assess individual women presenting with breast changes.

  • Statement on use of thermography to detect breast cancer

    Revised & updated:
    First published:
    Resource status: Rescinded

    This resource is 10 years or older and has been rescinded by Cancer Australia.  It is available to the public for research and reference purposes only. Cancer Australia assumes no legal liability or responsibility for errors or omissions contained within.

    Summary:

    Cancer Australia does not recommend the use of thermography for the early detection of breast cancer.