Victoria's hub for health services and business
A gateway to the strategies, policies, programs and services delivered by the Department of Health & Human Services.
Victorian government portal for older people, with information about government and community services and programs.
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Bladder cancer affects twice as many men as women...
Bone cancer is a rare form of cancer that is treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy...
Bowel cancer is highly curable if found at an early stage...
Brain cancer symptoms and treatment depend on which part of the brain is affected...
Gliomas are brain tumours associated with the three types of glial cell in the brain...
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Australian women...
All women aged between 18 and 70 who have been sexually active are advised to have Pap tests regularly, even if they?ve been vaccinated against cervical cancer...
Fallopian tube cancer is one of the rarest gynaecological cancers...
Most kidney cancers are found when the doctor is checking for something else...
Most children and many adults with acute leukaemia can expect to be cured, while chronic leukaemia can be successfully managed...
Liver cancer can be a primary cancer that starts in the liver, or a secondary cancer that starts in another part of the body and spreads to the liver...
Lung cancer occurs most often in adults between the ages of 40 and 70 who have smoked cigarettes for at least 20 years...
Lymphoma is a general term for a cancer that begins in the lymphatic system...
If untreated, melanomas can spread to other parts of the body and may be fatal...
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that can develop decades after exposure to asbestos...
Smoking increases the risk of mouth cancer six-fold...
Multiple myeloma is cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow...
Many women with early stage ovarian cancer may not have any symptoms...
The causes of pancreatic cancer are unknown, but smokers are at greater risk...
Generally, pituitary tumours are benign and slow growing, and pituitary cancers are extremely rare...
Most molar pregnancies are diagnosed when bleeding early in pregnancy prompts an ultrasound scan...
Prostate cancer can be treated in a variety of ways, so discuss treatment options with your doctor...
If treated in its earliest stages, rectal cancer is highly curable...
Check all of your skin, not just sun-exposed areas. If you notice anything unusual, including any change in shape, colour or size of a spot, or the development of a spot, visit your doctor as soon as...
Encourage your child to be SunSmart ? whatever their age...
The symptoms of stomach cancer are usually vague and can be common to other medical conditions...
Early diagnosis and treatment can cure almost all cases of testicular cancer...
Risk factors for throat cancer include smoking and heavy alcohol consumption...
Uterine cancer is one of the most common gynaecological cancers...
Some vaginal cancers have no symptoms in their early stages, and only cause symptoms once they have invaded other parts of the body...
In its early stages, vulvar cancer often has no symptoms because the cancer is so tiny...
There are about 200 different types of cancer and most areas of the body can be affected...
Cancer Council Victoria aims to reduce the impact of all cancers for all Victorians...
Long-term exposure to asbestos is a cause of lung cancer and other serious illnesses...
Diet can influence your risk of developing some cancers, but there is no evidence that specific foods can cause or cure cancer...
Latest research suggests that most cancers are caused by environmental rather than genetic factors...
Disease clusters are rare but can cause community concern about the possible effects of exposure to environmental hazards...
People who work outdoors are in one of the highest risk groups for skin cancer...
The major cause of skin cancer is over exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or other sources, such as solariums...
A suntan is a sign of skin damage ? there is no such thing as a 'safe' tan...
Tobacco causes more illness and death than any other drug...
There is no such thing as a safe solarium tan...
Even mild sunburn can cause permanent skin damage and may increase your risk of skin cancer...
Cancer screening programs look for early signs of the disease or indications that a person is more likely to develop the disease in the future...
Before a biopsy, you need to discuss a range of issues with your doctor or surgeon...
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) offers kits for free to Australians between the ages of 50 and 74 years of age...
A breast x-ray or mammogram every two years is recommended for women aged 50 to 69...
The aim of cancer screening is to find cancer in its early stages...
The Cervical Screening Program encourages women to have Pap tests...
A predisposition to certain cancers can be inherited via altered genes...
The Pap test checks for changes to the cells of the cervix, which may lead to cervical cancer if left untreated...
Men with a family history of prostate cancer, or men who have had a raised test result in the past, will benefit most from regular testing...
There are different types of breast cancer, and around 70 per cent are sensitive to the female sex hormone oestrogen...
A person with cancer who obtains pain relief is likely to sleep better and have more energy during the day...
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells...
Radiotherapy uses precisely targeted x-rays to destroy cancer cells while reducing the impact of radiation on healthy cells...
One of the treatments for prostate cancer is androgen deprivation therapy (previously called hormone therapy)...
The aim of a radical prostatectomy is to remove the cancer before it spreads to other parts of the body...
People with cancer should be as physically active as their abilities and condition allow...
It is important for the health of people with cancer to eat well before, during and after cancer treatment...
People with breast cancer talk about strategies and techniques for staying positive...
People talk about men's attitude to their health and prostate cancer...
Women who have undergone treatment of breast cancer are particularly susceptible to lymphoedema of the arm...
Sometimes we need a bit of extra help to decide on which healthcare choice is best for us.
Try these decision aids:
Do I need a regular GP?
Should I get a second opinion?
Do I need support communicating with a doctor?