Over 1.66 million Australians are living with or beyond their cancer diagnosis. This is due to advances in early detection, better treatments, and the ageing of the population. Cancer survivorship care refers to the time following active cancer treatments. This may also be known as post-treatment follow-up care. While many people go on to lead normal lives, there may be mixed emotions and worry about the future. For some it’s not always an easy transition and cancer can have a lasting impact including:
- ongoing side effects of treatment
- fear of cancer coming back
- other physical, emotional, financial and social concerns.
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre recognise ‘cancer survivors’ as people who have been diagnosed with cancer, from the time of diagnosis throughout their life. Cancer can also have a lasting impact on survivors’ family members, friends and caregivers.
Cancer care has traditionally focused on diagnosis and treatment. However, research shows it is just as important to focus on helping cancer survivors cope with life beyond their acute treatment. Cancer survivors may experience different issues compared to people having active treatment for cancer. It is important that survivors understand what to expect and are provided with the right information and support at the right time.
Quality cancer survivorship care should involve:
- monitoring to detect cancer coming back and new cancers
- support and monitoring for physical, emotional, social and practical effects of cancer and cancer treatment
- management of any other health conditions
- supporting and promoting wellness and healthy lifestyle
- coordinated care between all health professionals involved
About the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre is a passionate, multidisciplinary team with a vision to improve the health and wellbeing of cancer survivors and their carers. We work with cancer survivors, health professionals, community organisations, and policy makers. The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre does not offer clinical services. Instead, we work with healthcare providers to ensure that survivors receive the best possible care. We provide:
- information and support to survivors and carers
- education and training for health professionals
- and cancer survivorship leadership and guidance
While we are based at Peter Mac and our primary focus is on Victoria, we also engage and contribute on a national and international level.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre’s resources, events, education and work, we invite you to explore the links below:
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre has a statewide role in the development of education and resources for both survivors and health professionals. We provide advice regarding models of care, and while research is not our primary focus, we strongly support and collaborate in research relevant to survivorship.
Our Strategic Plan 2020-2025 sets our priorities and objectives to support optimal outcomes for cancer survivors and their carers over the coming years. Current work of the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre addresses the six strategic priorities which include:
- Provide information and support for survivors and carers
- Provide survivorship education and training for health professionals
- Support improved models of survivorship care
- Conduct and support survivorship research
- Provide leadership around cancer survivorship
- Delivering a robust, collaborative and sustainable program
For more information download a copy of ACSC’s current Strategic Plan 2020-2025.
Current projects
In addition to our core work, the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre is currently delivering the following statewide survivorship care project:
Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre key highlights
- Updating mycareplan.org.au in 2025, a free survivorship care plan generator. Currently, this is for people treated with curative intent with a diagnosis of either early-stage breast, bowel or prostate cancer, early-stage melanoma, uterine (endometrial) cancer or Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (diffuse large B-cell).
- Developing the Common Survivorship Issues Directory. This lists 15 common survivorship issues and links to information and support for survivors and guidance for health professionals.
- Supporting five iterations of the Clinical Placement Program in Cancer Survivorship.
- Collecting data on the survivorship care practices of 20 Victorian public hospitals and collating the Victorian Survivorship Care Data Report 2022.
- Lead or contributed to over 150 articles about cancer survivorships.
- Publishing over 43 articles about cancer survivorship and presenting work at over 75 national and international conferences.
We invite you to read more about Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre’s highlights:
Survivorship in publications
2022
Holistic care for cancer survivors, published in The Lancet’s 16 April 2022 edition. Prof Michael Jefford, Director of the ACSC, co-led the series, with Prof Jon Emery (University of Melbourne) and Dr Emily Tonorezos (Office of Cancer Survivorship, US National Cancer Institute). The three papers address common issues experienced by survivors, their clinical management, and the design of current and improved models of cancer care. The third paper focuses on issues and concerns for those who are survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence. Dr Jeremy Lewin, Medical Director of Peter Mac’s ONTrac adolescent and young adult service, contributed to the third paper. Other Peter Mac contributors are Dr Karolina Lisy, Senior Research Fellow, ACSC and the Department of Health Services Research (DHSR), and Dr Julia Lai-Kwon, medical oncologist, and PhD student, DHSR.
- Management of common clinical problems experienced by survivors of cancer
- Improved models of care for cancer survivors
- Long-term care for people treated for cancer during childhood and adolescence
Newsletters
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre publishes several newsletters and an annual year in review:
2025
2024
2023
2022
Publications
2025
- Tran MJ, Jefford M, Fua T, et al. Feasibility and acceptability of the fear-less screening and stratified-care model for fear of cancer recurrence among people affected by early-stage cancer. Psychooncology. 2025;34(2). doi: 10.1002/pon.70070
- Prue G, Czamanski-Cohen J, Kassianos AP, et al. Models of care and associated targeted implementation strategies for cancer survivorship support in Europe: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open. 202516;15(2). doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085456
- Jefford M, Nekhlyudov L, Smith AL, Chan RJ, Lai-Kwon J, Hart NH. Survivorship care for people affected by advanced or metastatic cancer: Building on the recent Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer–ASCO Standards and Practice Recommendations. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2025;45(3). doi: 10.1200/EDBK-25-471752
- White V, Gough K, Ristevski E, et al. Understanding experiences of optimal survivorship care: findings from a population-based study of cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer. 2025;33(5):401. doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-09461-2
- McErlean G, Hui H, Crawford-Williams F, et al. Quality cancer survivorship care: a modified Delphi study to define nurse capabilities. J Cancer Surviv. 2025;May 3. doi: 10.1007/s11764-025-01804-6
- Lee SF, Wong HCY, Robijns J, et al.; on behalf of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Oncodermatology and, Survivorship Study Groups. Chronic skin toxicities in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of radiotherapy techniques. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2025;212(1):1–12. doi: 10.1007/s10549-025-07700-y
- Kennedy SKF, Sadeghi S, Raeisi Dehkordi S, et al. Efficacy of multimodal psychological interventions on pain after surgery in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review. JCO Oncol Pract. 2025;Jun 26. doi: 10.1200/OP-25-00081
- Hart NH, Jefford M, Koczwara B, et al. Quality survivorship care for people affected by advanced or metastatic cancer: A Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Endorsement of the Joint Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer and American Society of Clinical Oncology Care Standards and Practice Recommendations. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2025;Jul 4. doi: 10.1111/ajco.14214
- Lisy K, Tieu M, Gore C, et al. Oncologist and general practitioner perspectives of shared care for colorectal cancer survivors: a qualitative study. Psychooncology. 2025;34(7). doi: 10.1002/pon.70223
- Livingston PM, Winter N, Russell L, et al. Efficacy of an online mindfulness program (MindOnLine) to reduce fear of recurrence in people living with-and beyond-breast, prostate or colorectal cancer: a randomized controlled trial. EClinicalMedicine. 2025;Jul 25:86. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103373
- Jefford M, Crawford-Williams F, Taylor C, et al. Global need, regional action: opportunities to improve cancer survivorship care in the Western Pacific. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2025;Nov 12:65. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101748
- Chan RJ, Knowles R, Taylor C, et al. Cancer survivorship in the Western Pacific: from differences to shared-goals and from challenges to opportunities. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2025;Nov 18:65. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101749
- Joseph R, Crawford-Williams F, Ramsey I, et al. SEAMLESS Advancing implementation of shared care for cancer survivors using a systems-thinking approach (The SEAMLESS study). J Cancer Surviv. 2025;Nov 25. doi: 10.1007/s11764-025-01911-4
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Manager
Helana Kelly
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Tracey Mander
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Mailing address
Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Locked Bag 1, A'Beckett St, Melbourne
Victoria 8006
Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre: 15 Years of Impact
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre has marked fifteen years of advancing cancer survivorship care (2010-2025).
Under Professor Michael Jefford's leadership, ACSC has shaped national and international conversations about cancer survivorship through sustained collaboration and innovation.
This milestone reflects ACSC's role as a trusted contributor to survivorship care. Looking ahead, ACSC remains focused on consolidating its successes, expanding its reach, and delivering measurable benefits for patients, carers, health professionals, and the broader community.
Please enjoy ACSC 15-year celebration presentation that highlights the achievements of the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre from 2010-2025.
Supporters
The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre would like to thank our supporters, collaborators, staff, volunteers and broader networks for all that you do to improve outcomes for people affected by cancer.
The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Victorian Government proudly support the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre.
