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Family Cancer Services

What is a family cancer?

It is not uncommon for more than one member of a family to have cancer. Cancer can occur in familes:

  • Just by chance (mostly the case)
  • Because family members have environmental and lifestyle influences in common (e.g too much sun or smoking)
  • Because there is an inherited faulty gene causing an increased chance of cancer (uncommon)
  • More about cancer and genetics

What do Family Cancer Clinics provide?

Family Cancer Clinics provide counselling and information for families with a history of cancer on:

  • Inheriting cancer
  • Individual risk
  • Screening
  • Cancer risk reduction strategies.

They also provide genetic testing where appropriate.

The clinics are conducted through the public hospital system and there is no direct cost to the patient for consultation or genetic testing.

Who attends a Family Cancer Clinic?

The types of families often referred to a clinic are:

  • Families with three or more individuals with a specific type of cancer - often breast/ovarian or bowel cancer.
  • Individuals with multiple cancers or cancers diagnosed at an unusually young age.

How can you attend a Family Cancer Clinic?

There are two ways you can attend a clinic:

  1. Your GP, physician or surgeon may refer you to a clinic;
  2. You can call one of the Family Cancer Clinics to discuss an appointment.

When you attend a clinic you may see a Genetic Counsellor, Medical Geneticists and other medical specialists depending on the type of cancer.

Select the area below to view Specialised Familial Cancer Services in that State/Territory:

New South Wales - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Northern Territory - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Please note there are currently no clinical genetics services offered in the Northern Territory.

Genetic referrals from the Northern Territory should be forwarded to:
Genetic Health Queensland
C/- Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital
PO BOX Herston QLD 4029
PH: (07) 3636 1686 FAX: (07) 3636 1987

Support and information may be available through other specialty services, and from a general medical practitioner.

Queensland - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Queensland - Familial Cancer Register

South Australia - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Tasmania - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Victoria - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Victoria - Familial Cancer Register

Western Australia - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Western Australia - Familial Cancer Register

New Zealand - Specialised Familial Cancer Services

Last updated: Dec 06, 2011