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Spotlight on... awareness weeks

Awareness weeks guide

World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day

4th February 2025

Cancer touches millions of lives in countless ways but it doesn't define who they are. It is more than a disease, more than a statistic. The new World Cancer Day campaign 2025-27 “United by Unique” places people at the centre of care and will explore new ways of making a difference. It offers a three- year journey from raising awareness to taking action. World Cancer Day

UpToDate

UpToDate pathways

Cochrane Library

Guidelines

Online resources

Reports and statistics

Articles

Clinical

Research

Treatment and treatment related complications

E-books

Journals

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Articles

Clinical

Association of optimism and social support with health-related quality of life among Australian women cancer survivors – A cohort study
These findings highlight a strong connection between optimism, social support, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among cancer survivors. Providing psychosocial support and addressing behavioral and socioeconomic factors and other health conditions associated with optimism and social support may improve HRQL. Asia-Pacific journal of clinical oncology 21 May 2024

Cancer cachexia
What you need to know

  • Cancer cachexia is defined as cancer related malnutrition in the presence of systemic inflammation
  • The prevalence of cancer cachexia varies among different cancer types, with pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and oesophagogastric cancer having notably high rates
  • Assess the patient for cancer cachexia in all healthcare interactions to allow for early intervention
  • Treatment requires a multi-modal approach aimed at increasing food intake, reducing muscle wasting, and improving function, alongside psychosocial support

BMJ 23 October 2024

Comprehensive humoral and cellular immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination in adults with cancer
Highlights

  • COVID-19 vaccine protects patients with cancer from severe disease.
  • Three doses protect patients with solid cancer, haematological cancer patients may need more.
  • Patients on Anti B-cell therapy may not respond until treatment stopped- other protection needed.
  • T-cell response is detected in most patients regardless of antibody response.

Vaccine 7 December 2024

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, acceptance and informational needs in an Australian cancer population: a cross-sectional survey
There is a need for tailored COVID-19 vaccine communication that is responsive to the concerns of people with cancer. This will be beneficial during current and future vaccination rollouts. Australian health review 8 December 2024

Perspectives on telemedicine visits reported by patients with cancer
In this survey study of perspectives on telemedicine visits, a large majority of patients at a comprehensive cancer center expressed satisfaction with telemedicine visits in proportions that remained consistent beyond the end of the pandemic. These findings challenge health care systems to integrate telemedicine into routine cancer care and to overcome remaining technical challenges and barriers to ease of use. JAMA 15 November 2024

Screening for viral hepatitis B infection in cancer patients before receiving chemotherapy – A systematic review and meta-analysis
Despite existing guidelines, pre-chemotherapy HBV screening rate remains unsatisfactory, with substantial heterogeneous rates globally. These findings underscore the need for effective strategies to align practices with clinical guidelines. Asia-Pacific journal of clinical oncology 21 March 2024

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Research

25 year trends in cancer incidence and mortality among adults aged 35-69 years in the UK, 1993-2018: retrospective secondary analysis
Cancer mortality had a substantial reduction during the past 25 years in both men and women aged 35-69 years. This decline is likely a reflection of the successes in cancer prevention (eg, smoking prevention policies and cessation programmes), earlier detection (eg, screening programmes) and improved diagnostic tests, and more effective treatment. By contrast, increased prevalence of non-smoking risk factors are the likely cause of the observed increased incidence for a small number of specific cancers. This analysis also provides a benchmark for the following decade, which will include the impact of covid-19 on cancer incidence and outcomes. BMJ 13 March 2024

A metric for comparison and visualization of age disparities in cancer survival
Highlights

  • Age at diagnosis of cancer is an important predictor of cancer-specific survival.
  • Tools for showing age-group-specific cancer survival tend to be complex.
  • We developed a uniform metric for visual assessment of age-specific survival.
  • We demonstrated the usefulness of the metric for comparisons between cancers.
  • The metric should help efforts to boost survival in disadvantaged patient groups.

Cancer Epidemiology 18 May 2024

Co-occurrence of cancer and diabetes in a high-income country: Age-period-cohort projections 2020–2044
These findings reinforce the fact that diabetes prevention activities are also cancer prevention activities, and must therefore be prioritised and resourced in tandem. The projected volume of diabetes and cancer co-occurrence also has important policy implications in terms of workforce development, as well as service delivery. Cancer Epidemiology 13 December 2024

Geospatial patterns by cancer stage across Australia for three common cancers
Highlights

  • Large variation in incidence rates by cancer stage across small-areas.
  • Melanoma had mainly stage 1 diagnoses, and high correlation with stages 2–4 diagnoses.
  • Breast cancer had more stages 2–4 diagnosed than stage 1, and limited correlation.
  • Prostate had more stages 1–2 diagnosed, and high correlation with stages 3–4 patterns.
  • The proportion of early stage diagnoses varied across Australia by type of cancer.

Cancer Epidemiology 26 December 2024

Impact of weighting on the association between sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviours and cancer, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the Australian 45 and Up Study
Highlights

  • Large-scale cohort studies are valuable for quantifying associations between potential risk factors and mortality outcomes.
  • However, the representativeness of cohort studies can vary, potentially influencing the resulting estimates of association.
  • Here, we considered data from the large Australian 45 and Up Study cohort.
  • We assessed the impact of weighting on the associations between participants’ characteristics and key mortality outcomes.
  • Our study supports the generalisability of most associations in the 45 and Up Study data, particularly for cancer mortality.

Cancer Epidemiology 10 April 2024

Innovative use of Australian cancer registry data for early detection of the effects of epidemics and other mass disruptions on cancer incidence
Highlights

  • Responses to mass disruption may be guided by cancer data reported within 2-3 months of the initial signs of the disruption.
  • Incomplete data from these early months may reveal trends similar to those seen after full processing.
  • Projected historic data compared with actual data in these early months, may thus inform timelier public health actions.

Cancer Epidemiology 5 July 2024

Out-of-pocket health care expenses for people with and without cancer, New South Wales, 2020: a cross-sectional study
The known:
Despite our universal health care system, the financial burden of medical costs can be great for people in Australia, particularly those with cancer.
The new: Out-of-pocket spending on health care during the preceding twelve months exceeded $1000 for 43% of survey respondents (aged 56 years or older). The likelihood of higher out-of-pocket expenses was greater for people with cancer, independent of the effect of socio-demographic factors.
The implications: High out-of-pocket costs can increase financial strain generally, but can also restrict access to appropriate health care for people with limited financial resources, especially for those with cancer. MJA 25 June 2024

Survival of patients who had cancer diagnosed through an emergency hospital admission: A retrospective matched case-comparison study in Australia
Highlights

  • Individuals with a cancer emergency admission had a higher odds of death in 1 year.
  • Mental health and metastatic cancer were associated with mortality within 1 year.
  • Individuals living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods had a higher likelihood of death.

Cancer Epidemiology 20 May 2024

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Treatment and treatment related complications

Attributable risk and consequences of bone mineral density deficits in childhood cancer survivors
While treatment exposures were associated with long-term BMD deficits, modifiable risk factors, including smoking, sedentary behavior, hypogonadism, and growth hormone deficiency, suggest feasible targets for intervention. JAMA 10 January 2025

Clinical value of guideline recommended molecular targets and genome targeted cancer therapies: cross sectional study
What is already known on this topic

  • Precision oncology is transforming cancer care, particularly for advanced, treatment resistant cases, but the clinical importance of many genetic alterations remains uncertain
  • The evidence base underlying National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommendations can vary widely across different cancers
  • Frameworks from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) can help patients and physicians to assess the molecular targetability and expected clinical benefit of cancer drugs

What this study adds

  • About an eighth of genome targeted cancer therapies in NCCN guidelines for metastatic cancer were rated as offering a high likelihood of benefit
  • Another third of therapies were rated as being of promising but unproven benefit according to the ESMO frameworks
  • Better alignment between NCCN recommendations and ESMO frameworks could help to guide stakeholders in selecting cancer therapy supported by the highest quality evidence

BMJ 20 August 2024  

Evaluating cancer rehabilitation services: Insight from Australia and New Zealand
The survey identified key barriers and facilitators for the implementation of cancer rehabilitation programs. Collaborative efforts of relevant stakeholders, clinicians, consumers, and policymakers need to address barriers to broader implementation of cancer rehabilitation services. Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 29 August 2025

Life years lost by childhood cancer treatment and health related late effects among childhood cancer survivors
Highlights

  • Secondary cancer and cardiac disease cause the most life years lost among childhood cancer survivors.
  • Radiotherapy contributes to a lot more life years lost than chemotherapy.
  • Multi-morbidity doesn’t contribute extra life years lost by itself.

Cancer Epidemiology 7 November 2024

Towards precision cancer medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer health equity
Summary

  • Delivering cancer control at scale for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a national priority that requires Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and codesign, as well as significant involvement of the Aboriginal community-controlled health sector.
  • The unique genomic variation observed among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may have implications for standard and precision medicine. Yet, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are absent from, or under-represented within, human reference genome resources, genomic studies, cancer studies, cancer cell lines, patient-derived xenografts and cancer clinical trials.
  • Genomics-guided precision cancer medicine offers an opportunity to reduce cancer health disparities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through personalising prevention, diagnosis, treatment and long term management. Here, we describe what is required to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can receive the benefits of precision cancer medicine.
  • Equity of access to care, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer workforce, and appropriate genome reference resources are important for safe and effective cancer medicine. Building Indigenous data sovereignty principles and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance into research is required to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and collective interests. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community engagement should be undertaken to develop an understanding of the unique cultural and ethical considerations for precision cancer research. Local and national genomic health research guidelines are needed to define a consensus best practice in genomics research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

MJA 1 July 2024

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E-books

This is just a sample of the e-books the library subscribes to – you will need your library login

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Journals

 

This is just a sample of the journals the library subscribes to – you will need your library login

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