Your health care team

Glossary

Your GP will probably arrange the first tests to assess your symptoms. If these tests confirm melanoma, you will usually be referred to a specialist, such as a dermatologist or surgeon. The specialist will arrange further tests. If melanoma is diagnosed, the specialist will consider treatment options. These options may be discussed with other health professionals at what is known as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting.

During and after treatment, you may also see a range of health professionals who specialise in different aspects of your care, especially if you have a melanoma with a Breslow thickness greater than 1 mm, or if the melanoma has spread.

Learn more about:

Melanoma units

Some people, particularly if they have a deeper, invasive melanoma, are treated in specialist melanoma units located at hospitals in major cities around Australia.

If you are referred to a multidisciplinary melanoma unit by your GP, you will be able to talk to one or more medical specialists who will answer your questions, and recommend the most suitable treatment. The best treatment pathway will depend on the test results.

To find a specialist melanoma unit near you, ask your doctor, call Cancer Council 13 11 20 or visit Melanoma Patients Australia.

The different roles

Below is a list of the health professionals you may see:

dermatologist

diagnoses, treats and manages skin conditions, including skin cancer

general surgeon

performs surgery to remove early melanoma; skin reconstruction; and surgery on the lymph nodes

reconstructive (plastic) surgeon

performs surgery that restores, repairs or reconstructs the body’s appearance and function

surgical oncologist

performs surgery to remove melanoma and conducts more complex surgery on the lymph nodes and other organs

medical oncologist

treats cancer with drug therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy (systemic treatment)

radiation oncologist

plans and delivers radiation therapy

cancer care coordinator

coordinates care, liaises with MDT and supports you and your family throughout treatment; care may also be coordinated by a clinical nurse consultant (CNC) or clinical nurse specialist (CNS)

counsellor, social worker, psychologist

help you manage your emotional response to diagnosis and treatment

physiotherapist, occupational therapist

assist with physical and practical issues, including restoring movement and mobility after treatment

palliative care specialist and nurses

work closely with the GP and cancer specialists to help control symptoms and maintain quality of life

Click on the icon below to download a PDF booklet on melanoma

Printed copies are available for free - Call 13 11 20 to order

Instructions for downloading and reading EPUB files

Apple devices

The iBooks application must be installed on your Apple device before you can read the EPUB.
Different ways to download an EPUB file to your Apple device:

  • email EPUB files to yourself and transfer the attachment to iBooks.
  • copy EPUB files into DropBox (or a similar service) and use the DropBox app to send them to iBooks.
  • open EPUB files directly from Mobile Safari and open them in iBooks, where they are saved automatically by downloading the EPUB from the website.

Need more help? Visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4059

Kobo

To download an EPUB file to your Kobo from a Windows computer:

  • download and save the EPUB directly onto your desktop.
  • connect your Kobo to your computer using the USB cable and tap “Connect” on your eReader.
  • select “Open folder to view files” to view the contents of your Kobo.
  • navigate to where you have stored your EPUB file in “Finder”, in documents or downloads, and drag and drop it into the Kobo window. You can now disconnect your Kobo to read the eBook.

To download an EPUB to your Kobo from a Mac:

  • download and save the EPUB directly onto your desktop.
  • connect your Kobo to your computer using the USB cable and tap “Connect” on your eReader.
  • open your “Finder” application.
  • select “Kobo eReader” from the listed devices to view the contents of your Kobo.
  • navigate to where you have stored your EPUB file in “Finder”, probably in documents or downloads, and drag and drop it into the Kobo window. You can now disconnect your Kobo to read the eBook.

Turn on your Kobo and your EPUB will be located in “eBooks”, while a PDF will be located in “Documents”.
Need more information? Visit: http://www.kobo.com/help/koboaura/response/?id=3784&type=3

Sony Reader

To download an EPUB file on your Sony Reader™:

  • ensure you have already installed the Reader™ Library for PC/Mac software
  • select the eBook you want from our website and click the link to download it.
  • connect the Reader™ to your computer.
  • open the Reader™ Library software and click “Library” in the left-hand pane and select the eBook to view it.

Need more help? Visit: https://au.readerstore.sony.com/apps_and_devices/

Amazon Kindle 2nd Generation devices

EPUB files can’t be read on the Amazon Kindle™. However, like most eReaders, Kindle™ 2nd Generation devices are able to display PDFs. We recommend that you download the PDF version of this booklet if you would like to read it on a Kindle™.
To transfer a PDF to your Kindle™ via USB cable from your computer or Mac:

  • download the PDF directly onto your computer.
  • connect the USB cable to your computer’s USB port, and the micro USB end of the cable to your Kindle™. Note: the Kindle™ won’t be available as a reading device while it is connected to your computer until it has been disconnected.
  • open the Kindle™ drive and several folders will appear inside. The “Documents” folder is where you will need to copy or drag the PDF to.
  • safely eject your Kindle™ from your computer and unplug the USB cable. Your content will appear on the Home Screen.

Kindle also provides a Kindle Personal Documents Service that allows users to send documents as an attachment directly to your eReader. For more information on this service, visit http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-1?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200767340&qid=1395967989&sr=1-1
For more information on accessing a PDF on your Kindle™, visit www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle, log in to your account and click on Personal Document Settings.
Need more help? Visit https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200375630

Android and PC

You can also download and open eBooks on Android devices and PCs with appropriate apps or software installed. Suitable eReader apps for Android include Google Play Books, FBReader and Moon+ Reader. Suitable software for PCs include Calibre and Adobe Digital Editions.

This information was last reviewed in January 2019
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Support services

Coping with cancer?
Speak to a health professional or to someone who has been there, or find a support group or forum

Looking for transport, accommodation or home help?
Practical advice and support during and after treatment

Cancer information

Dealing with the diagnosis
Common reactions to a cancer diagnosis and how to find hope

Your coping toolbox
Ways to cope with the challenges caused by cancer

Skin cancer
Learn more about skin cancer, which is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the skin

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