New award-winning training gives health professionals the tools to support Australians living with fear cancer will return

Thousands of Australians living with and beyond cancer could benefit from a new national initiative designed to help health professionals better recognise and address one of the most common challenges after treatment: fear that cancer will come back.

Dr Vanessa Johnston, Clinical Director of Cancer Information and Support Services at Cancer Council NSW says fear of cancer recurrence is widely recognised as the most commonly reported unmet supportive care need among people affected by cancer, “fear that cancer may come back is a very real and understandable concern for many people affected by cancer and no one should have to navigate those fears alone.”

To address this, researchers from the Daffodil Centre, a partnership between Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney, partnered with the McGrath Foundation and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to develop a new online training module for health professionals. The training is now available nationally through eviQ Education.

The training builds on Australia’s first evidence-based clinical pathway for identifying and managing fear of cancer recurrence in routine cancer care. Developed through a national consensus process involving almost 100 Australian health professionals and researchers, the pathway provides a practical framework to help clinicians identify people experiencing fear of recurrence and connect them with appropriate support.

Associate Professor Ben Smith, Senior Implementation Scientist at the Daffodil Centre, explains fear of cancer recurrence is one of the most significant yet often overlooked challenges facing cancer survivors, “for many people, finishing treatment doesn’t mean their worries are over. Fear that cancer will return can affect mental health, relationships, work and a person’s ability to make plans for the future.”

An evaluation involving Australian oncology health professionals found the training improved participants’ knowledge, confidence and skills in addressing fear of recurrence, increased perceptions of the feasibility of providing pathway-aligned care, and reduced barriers to screening, assessment and referral.

Associate Professor Smith says this training provides practical, evidence-based strategies that can help clinicians start these important conversations, identify people who may need support and ensure they are connected with appropriate care, “until now, fear of cancer recurrence has often been the ‘elephant in the room’ as patients are reluctant to raise their concerns and health care professionals don’t ask about as they often aren’t sure how to respond.

“By making this resource available nationally through eviQ, we’re helping build the capability of the cancer workforce and improving access to support for people affected by cancer, no matter where they live.”

Dr Johnston, says supporting people to live well beyond a cancer diagnosis is an important part of Cancer Council NSW’s work to reduce the impact of cancer for all Australians, “with more people surviving cancer than ever before, it is important that people impacted by cancer have access to evidence-based information, practical support and high-quality care both during and after cancer treatment.

“Initiatives like this help strengthen survivorship care by giving health professionals the tools and confidence to better support patients experiencing fear of recurrence.” Dr Johnston concludes.

Media contact: Claudia Bernardi
Email: [email protected]