Collecting routine and timely cancer stage at diagnosis by implementing a cancer staging tiered framework: the Western Australian Cancer Registry experience.

Background: Current processes collecting cancer stage data in population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) lack standardisation, resulting in difficulty utilising diverse data sources and incomplete, low-quality data. Implementing a cancer staging tiered framework aims to improve stage collection and facilitate inter-PBCR benchmarking.

Objective: Demonstrate the application of a cancer staging tiered framework in the Western Australian Cancer Staging Project to establish a standardised method for collecting cancer stage at diagnosis data in PBCRs.

"Who can I ring? Where can I go?" Living with advanced cancer whilst navigating the health system: a qualitative study.

Background: People with advanced cancer often experience greater physical and psychosocial morbidity compared to those with early disease. Limited research has focused on their experiences within the Australian health system. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of adults receiving care for advanced cancer.

A cross-sectional analysis of out-of-pocket expenses for people living with a cancer in rural and outer metropolitan Western Australia.

Objective To determine the extent of medical and non-medical out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) among regional/rural and outer metropolitan Western Australian patients diagnosed with cancer, and the factors associated with higher costs. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected from adult patients living in four regional/rural areas and two outer metropolitan regions in Western Australia who had been diagnosed with breast, prostate, colorectal or lung cancer. Consenting participants were mailed demographic and financial questionnaires, and requested to report all OOPE related to their cancer treatment.

'Biggest factors in having cancer were costs and no entitlement to compensation'-The determinants of out-of-pocket costs for cancer care through the lenses of rural and outer metropolitan Western Australians.

Objective: The aim of this qualitative analysis was to determine patients' perceptions of the impact of cancer-related costs.

Design: A qualitative inductive content analysis of the comment sections of surveys completed by participants in a cross-sectional study of cancer-related expenses.

Setting: Residents of 4 regional/rural and 2 outer metropolitan areas in Western Australia.

The role of psychosocial support in the experiences of people living with advanced cancer: A qualitative exploration of patients' perspectives.

Background: People living with advanced cancer experience significant distress and reduced quality of life due to their symptom burden and life-limiting prognosis. Limited qualitative research has investigated their experiences accessing psychosocial supportive care, and how it meets their needs.

Aim: To explore patients' perspectives of the role of psychosocial support in their experiences of living with advanced cancer.

'…If I don't have that sort of money again, what happens?': adapting a qualitative model to conceptualise the consequences of out-of-pocket expenses for cancer patients in mixed health systems.

Objective The aim of this study was to explore Western Australian cancer patients' experiences of out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) during diagnosis and cancer treatment using a phenomenological approach. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive convenience sample of 40 Western Australian cancer patients diagnosed with breast, lung, prostate or colorectal cancer. Participants were asked about the impact of their diagnosis, the associated costs and their experience within the health system.

Indigenous compared with non-Indigenous Australian patients at entry to specialist palliative care: Cross-sectional findings from a multi-jurisdictional dataset.

Background: There are few quantitative studies on palliative care provision to Indigenous Australians, a population known to experience distinctive barriers to quality healthcare and to have poorer health outcomes than other Australians.

Objectives: To investigate equity of specialist palliative care service provision through characterising and comparing Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients at entry to care.

Methods: Using data (01/01/2010-30/06/2015) from all services participating in the multi-jurisdictional Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration, Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients entering palliative care were compared on proportions vis-à-vis those expected from national statutory datasets, demographic characteristics, and entry-to-care status across fourteen 'problem' domains (e.

How communication between cancer patients and their specialists affect the quality and cost of cancer care.

Purpose: Communication in cancer care is multidimensional and may affect patient treatment decision-making and quality of life. This study examined cancer patients' perceptions of the communication with their cancer specialists and explored its impact on the care they received and the financial burden they experienced.

Methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 20 rural and 20 outer metropolitan Western Australians diagnosed with breast, lung, prostate or colorectal cancer.

Out-of-pocket expenses experienced by rural Western Australians diagnosed with cancer.

Purpose: Out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) can have a significant impact on patients' experiences of cancer treatment. This cross-sectional study sought to quantify the OOPEs experienced by rural cancer patients in Western Australia (WA), and determine factors that contributed to higher OOPE.

Methods: Four hundred people diagnosed with breast, lung, colorectal or prostate cancer who resided in selected rural regions of WA were recruited through the WA Cancer Registry and contacted at least 3 months after diagnosis to report the medical OOPE (such as surgery or chemotherapy, supportive care, medication and tests) and non-medical OOPE (such as travel costs, new clothing and utilities) they had experienced as a result of accessing and receiving treatment.

Patient satisfaction with Radioguided Occult Lesion Localisation using iodine-125 seeds ('ROLLIS') versus conventional hookwire localisation.

Background: Women with impalpable or poorly palpable breast cancer require radiologically guided localisation prior to breast conserving surgery. Radioguided Occult Lesion Localisation using Iodine-125 Seed (ROLLIS) is an emerging alternative to conventional Hookwire Localisation (HWL). We compared ROLLIS with conventional HWL with respect to patient reported stress and discomfort related to the localisation procedure.