A
Appendix cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei
Many people look for support after being diagnosed with a cancer that is rare or less common than other cancer types. This information includes details about how these cancers are diagnosed and treated.
Anal cancer
It is common to feel shocked and upset when told you have cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how anal cancer is diagnosed and treated.
Adenoid cystic carcinoma
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare type of cancer that forms in glandular tissues most commonly in the head and neck, but it can also begin in other areas.
B
Breast cancer
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have breast cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how breast cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Brain tumours
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have a brain or spinal cord tumour. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how these tumours are diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Bowel cancer
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have bowel cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how bowel cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Bone cancer (secondary)
This information has been prepared to help you understand secondary bone cancer – cancer that has spread to the bone from another part of the body. Bone cancer can be either a primary or secondary cancer. Primary bone cancer means the cancer first started in the bone. It is a rare cancer. The 2 types of bone cancer are different, and this information is only about secondary bone cancer.
Bone cancer (primary)
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about primary bone cancer, also known as bone sarcoma.
Blood cancer
Blood cancer is the third biggest cause of cancer death across Australia, claiming more lives each year than breast cancer or skin cancer.
Bladder cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about bladder cancer. Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have bladder cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how bladder cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
C
Cervical cancer
It is common to feel shocked and upset when told you have cervical cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how cervical cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Cancer of unknown primary
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about cancer of unknown primary (CUP). Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have cancer. It can be even more distressing if the cancer has spread and the original (primary) site cannot be found. You may find it hard to believe that your doctors and modern medicine cannot find where the cancer started. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how CUP is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Cancer of the uterus
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about cancer of the uterus – also called uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, womb cancer, or cancer of the lining of the womb.
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Gynaecological cancer
Gynaecological cancer includes vulvar and vaginal cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer. Cancer of the uterus is the most common gynaecological cancer, with more than 220 South Australian women diagnosed every year.
Gall bladder cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about gall bladder or bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma). Many people look for support after being diagnosed with a cancer that is rare or less common than other cancer types. This information includes details about how gall bladder cancer is diagnosed and treated.
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Lymphoma
Lymphomas refers to types of cancer that begin in the lymphatic system (the various lymph glands around the body).
Lung cancer
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have lung cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how lung cancer is diagnosed and treated. We also include information about support services. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Liver cancer (secondary)
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about secondary liver cancer – cancer that has spread to the liver from another part of the body.
Liver cancer (primary)
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have primary liver cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how primary liver cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Leukaemia
Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells, which begins in the bone marrow.
M
Myeloma
Myeloma is a cancer that begins in the blood’s plasma cells. It develops from cells in the bone marrow called plasma cells, which are part of the immune system and help fight infection. When cancerous, these abnormal plasma cells spread throughout the bone marrow so that there is not enough space to make enough normal blood cells.
Mesothelioma
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about mesothelioma, which is also known as pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have mesothelioma. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how mesothelioma is diagnosed and treated.
Melanoma
Other types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These are often called non-melanoma skin cancers or keratinocyte cancers. For information about non-melanoma skin cancers, see skin cancer. Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have melanoma. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how melanoma is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
O
Ovarian cancer
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have ovarian cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Ocular (uveal) melanoma
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about ocular (uveal) melanoma. Many people look for support after being diagnosed with a cancer that is rare or less common than other cancer types. This information includes details about how ocular melanoma is diagnosed and treated.
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Prostate cancer
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have prostate cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best management or treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what you want to ask your treatment team.
Penile cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about penile cancer. Many people look for support after being diagnosed with a cancer that is rare or less common than other cancer types. With rare types of cancer, sometimes finding a resource can be difficult. This information also provides details about how penile cancer is diagnosed and treated.
Pancreatic cancer
Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have pancreatic cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how pancreatic cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
S
Stomach and oesophageal cancers
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about cancers of the stomach and oesophagus. Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have stomach or oesophageal cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how these cancers are diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.
Soft tissue sarcoma
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about soft tissue sarcoma. Many people look for support after being diagnosed with a cancer that is rare or less common than other cancer types. This information includes details about how soft tissue sarcoma is diagnosed and treated.
Small bowel cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about small bowel cancer. Many people look for support after being diagnosed with a cancer that is rare or less common than other cancer types. This information includes details about how small bowel cancer is diagnosed and treated.
Skin cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about the 2 most common types of skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These skin cancers are called non-melanoma skin cancer or keratinocyte cancer.
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Thyroid cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about thyroid cancer. Many people feel shocked or upset when they are told they have thyroid cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how thyroid cancer is diagnosed and treated.
Testicular cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about testicular cancer.
V
Vulvar cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about vulvar cancer. It is common to feel shocked and upset when told you have vulvar cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how vulvar cancer is diagnosed and treated.
Vaginal cancer
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about vaginal cancer. It is common to feel shocked and upset when told you have vaginal cancer. We hope this information will help you, your family and friends understand how vaginal cancer is diagnosed and treated.