NSW: Guidelines for managing advanced breast cancer

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2001
NSW: Guidelines for managing advanced breast cancer

Guidelines for managing advanced breast cancer will be launched by Federal Health Minister
Dr MICHAEL WOOLDRIDGE in Sydney today.

National Breast Cancer Centre professor TOM REEVE says the guidelines, a world first,
offer advice to women on how to deal with symptoms of the disease and how best to plan
treatment.

He says a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer is very difficult for a woman because
it means she currently cannot be cured.

But now, for the first time, he says, a woman and her doctor have access to a summary
of the most recent research about how best to ensure that the woman lives comfortably.

National coordinator of the Breast Cancer Network LYN SWINBURNE has praised the strong
emphasis on women's different and individual priorities.

She says when a woman has advanced breast cancer she needs to be confident that her
treatment is planned around her as a person, her family needs, her spiritual beliefs,
her emotional well-being and management of symptoms such as pain.

AAP RTV aa/alt

KEYWORD: BREAST CANCER (SYDNEY)

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