Please note that this program is subject to change.

Wednesday 11 November

This opening plenary explores the ingredients of truly personalised cancer care—from tumor-agnostic drug development and pharmacogenomic prescribing to addressing inequity in access. International and Australian leaders will examine how biology, therapeutics, systems, and social context intersect to deliver precision oncology that is scientifically robust, clinically actionable, and equitable.

Frailty is increasingly recognised as a key determinant of outcome and patient experience amongst older individuals with cancer. This session will discuss the diagnostic approach to frailty for patients with cancer and review recommendations for the optimal multidisciplinary management of this often-reversible syndrome.

Prehabilitation is an adjunct process in modern cancer care, with growing evidence that multimodal interventions aimed at enhancing functional capacity and physiological reserve can improve cancer outcomes. This session will explore the evidence-base for prehabilitation, it’s implementation in the oncology setting and future directions for people with cancer.

Precision exercise medicine tailors exercise prescriptions for individuals, recognising that different exercise doses (frequency, intensity, time, type, volume and progression) elicit distinct physiological and functional benefits for cancer survivors. This session will explore the evidence-base for precision exercise medicine and provide recommendations to optimise personalised cancer care.

Existential distress in cancer involves threats to meaning, identity, one’s relationship with mortality, and is associated with reduced quality of life in advanced disease. This session brings together experts in psycho oncology, palliative care, and death anxiety to examine the assessment, key therapeutic frameworks, and emerging clinical approaches to managing existential distress.

Early menopause caused by cancer treatment can significantly affect younger women’s physical and emotional wellbeing. This session brings together experts across oncology, endocrinology, nursing, psychosocial care, and a lived experience consumer to discuss evidence based, multidisciplinary strategies for supporting women experiencing medically induced menopause.

This session focuses on early onset colorectal cancer, with diverse presentations exploring the biological drivers of increasing incidence, understanding diagnostic pathways, a novel MDT clinical model and reflections on nursing care for younger adults, integrated with the perspectives of those with lived experience.

Medicines are central to cancer care. This session explores the evolving role of medicines in improving patient outcomes, safety, and access across the cancer journey. Through practical examples and multidisciplinary perspectives, we highlight innovations, challenges, and opportunities in optimising cancer medicines use in contemporary oncology practice.

This session will showcase the national genomics policy landscape for the integration of genomics in routine cancer care, including key initiatives towards implementation, and provide an opportunity to hear how the sector can be ready to incorporate genomics into cancer care for children and adults.

Learn about the latest multidisciplinary updates in thoracic oncology. From precision liquid biopsy to minimising cardiotoxicity from radiotherapy. Learn how exercise oncology and novel nurse-led models of care can be implemented to optimise the care of patients with thoracic cancers.

Smoking remains the major known cause of cancer but smoking cessation is no longer the whole preventive story. First nation, CALD and cancer patients are vulnerable not only to smoking but to misinformation about vaping safety.

Preventable cancer can largely be identified with lifestyle choices on smoking, drinking, diet/exercise and being in the sun. However, cancer due to unavoidable workplace or environmental exposures generates huge community concern and is totally preventable. The scope of this burden and options for action will be explored.

Showcasing innovations in personalised oncology care in primary and secondary brain cancer, this session spotlights pre-existing and ongoing trauma in those affected. The key role of rehabilitation, including supportive care and functional interventions, as well as practical aspects including return to work and driving, and emerging treatments will be highlighted.

Hyperbaric oxygen, homeopathy, high dose vitamin C, probiotics, repurposed medications and all manner of non-classical treatments are being investigated by our patients and their families. This session will examine whether these interventions are all hype or if they could, in fact, change our approach to cancer management.

Various aspects of cancer screening from high risk individual identification, liaison with GPs and recognition of barriers to personal participation are explored by speakers variously engaged in breast, lung, cervical and bowel screening.

Evidence-based nutrition care optimises cancer outcomes when aligned to individual risk, treatment phase and patient priorities. Spanning prehabilitation to palliative care, this session explores multidisciplinary, system-integrated approaches to malnutrition and muscle health that improve survival, treatment tolerance, functional recovery and quality of life.

Cancer -related anxiety influences decisions, behaviours, communication, and relationships throughout the cancer trajectory. This session explores how worry about cancer shapes prevention, screening, inherited risk communication, family dynamics, fear of recurrence, and clinical care. Presenters will offer insights into when anxiety is potentially helpful and activating, when it becomes harmful, and how clinicians can support patients and families experiencing cancer related worry.

Thursday 12 November

Recent progress in the treatment of many advanced cancers has led to improvements in survival and growing numbers of metastatic cancer survivors. This session explores advances and challenges in metastatic survivorship care, from the perspectives of clinicians, consumers and researchers, and strategies to support survivors to live longer and stronger.

How can health data drive real change? This plenary explores how evidence becomes impact, from research findings shaping policy, to real-world clinical data improving care, to dashboards translating insights into action at the point of care. Speakers share practical lessons, challenges, and opportunities for influence across systems and settings.

COSA sponsored breakfast session in partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission
This plenary explores how workforce culture, equity, and inclusion shape cancer care quality. Through multidisciplinary perspectives, speakers will examine global and local strategies to build a sustainable, diverse, and patient-centred oncology workforce, addressing structural barriers, supporting wellbeing, and strengthening systems to deliver equitable outcomes across all communities.

Why is it so hard to implement cancer care interventions that we know work? This session brings together national leaders who have tried (and sometimes been challenged) to embed effective models of care and interventions into real-world practice. Across precision oncology, lung cancer screening, and exercise oncology - speakers will share their candid “warts and all” reflections on what helps, what hinders, and the practical lessons we can all use as researchers, clinicians, and consumers.
COSA x (3 TED-style talks)