Overview
Rare cancers account for 20 per cent of cancers diagnosed in Australia, and 30 per cent of cancer-related deaths. People with rare cancers are more likely to die from their disease than people with more common cancers.
The outlook for people with rare cancers is not as good as that for people with more common cancers because:
- Rare cancers are often diagnosed at late, more advanced and harder to treat stages, because there are no effective screening strategies For patients and their health professionals may not recognise the symptoms of rare cancers
- Treatments for many rare cancers have not advanced at the same pace as treatments for more common cancers in recent years. This is because it is much harder to research or perform clinical trials for rarer diseases and there is often less support for researchers or clinicians.
The COSA Rare Cancers Group was established to help support and improve outcomes for patients with rare cancers. We work with community support groups such as Rare Cancers Australia (rarecancers.org.au) and the Cancer Council's Rare and Less Common Cancers Working Group.
We take an Australia-wide and international approach as collaborations are vital to more rapidly develop rare cancer knowledge and provide the most robust evidence-based for rare cancer patients.
Our membership is open to allied health and medical practitioners, and cancer researchers, with an interest in rare cancers. We also work with other tumour stream specialty groups to promote and develop rare cancer trials and research.
Group information
Read the Rare Cancers Group Terms of Reference
Read the AGM Minutes from 7 December 2020
What’s the latest
Group Chair
![Group Chair Image](/media/letluqy2/scott_clare.png?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=138&height=138&rnd=133492831833100000)
Group Chair
Clare Scott
Rare Cancers Group Chair & ANZGOG Representative
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COSAoncology 14 days ago
We are pleased that @OSWA_Australia continue to be an Affiliated member organisation with COSA, and look forward to our ongoing collaboration to improve cancer care and control. OSWANZ members can join COSA at a discounted rate. Join or renew here:
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COSAoncology 18 days ago
Thank you @RANZCRcollege for maintaining Affiliated membership and continuing to collaborate with COSA to improve cancer care and control. Members of RANZCR can join COSA at a discounted rate. Join or renew here:
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COSAoncology 19 days ago
We are pleased that @PathologyRCPA continue to be an Affiliated member organisation with COSA, and look forward to our ongoing collaboration to improve cancer care and control. RCPA members can join COSA at a discounted rate. Join or renew here:
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COSAoncology 20 days ago
COSA members on automatic renewal, don't forget to update your billing details before 1 July 2024! Login to the COSA website and go to My Membership, Billing Information:
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COSAoncology 21 days ago
Do you prefer to pay membership fees prior to end of financial year? Now is the time to renew your COSA membership:
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COSAoncology 21 days ago
We are pleased that @MASC_Trials continue to collaborate with COSA as an Affiliated organisation member. A reminder that MASC Trials members can join COSA at discounted rates! Join or renew here:
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COSAoncology 21 days ago
Thank you @CNSA_ORG for maintaining their Affiliated membership and continuing to collaborate with COSA to improve cancer care and control. Members of CNSA can join COSA at a discounted rate. Join or renew here:
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COSAoncology one month ago
Thank you to @UTS_CST for continuing to be an Affiliated member organisation with COSA. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to improve cancer care and control. CST members can join COSA at discounted rates! Join or renew here:
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COSAoncology one month ago
We are pleased that @POCOG1 continue to collaborate with COSA as an Affiliated organisation member. A reminder that PoCoG members can join COSA at discounted rates! Join or renew here:
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COSAoncology one month ago
We are pleased that @ANZCHOG continue to collaborate with COSA as an Affiliated organisation member. A reminder that ANZCHOG members can join COSA at discounted rates! Join or renew here:
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