Health professionals
Optimal care pathway for people leukaemia
The Optimal Care Pathways outline consistent, safe, high-quality and evidence-based care for people with cancer. Relevant to every step along the cancer continuum, the Optimal Care Pathways aim to improve patient outcomes for people affected by cancer, and ensure that Australians diagnosed with cancer receive the best care irrespective of where they live or receive cancer treatment.
Key principles for optimal cancer care are set out for each step of the patient journey from prevention through to survivorship and end of life care, and optimal timeframes within which tests or procedures should be completed.
National endorsement
The Optimal Care Pathways are endorsed by Cancer Australia, all states and territories and Cancer Council Australia.
For health professionals and health services
The Optimal Care Pathways are available in their full version or as a Quick Reference Guide (summary version):
- Optimal care pathways for children, adolescents and young adults with acute leukaemia
- Optimal care pathways for children, adolescents and young adults with acute leukaemia: Quick reference guide
- Optimal care pathway for people with acute myeloid leukaemia
- Optimal care pathway for people with acute myeloid leukaemia: Quick reference guide
- Optimal care pathway for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
- Optimal care pathway for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: Quick reference guide
- Optimal care pathway for people with chronic myeloid leukaemia
- Optimal care pathway for people with chronic myeloid leukaemia: Quick reference guide
For people affected by cancer
Consumer versions of the Optimal Care Pathways are available to help patients and their families and carers to understand the optimal cancer care that should be provided from diagnosis, through to treatment and beyond. They are available in multiple languages.
The Guides to Best Cancer Care include optimal timeframes within which tests or procedures should be completed; prompt lists to support patients to understand what might happen at each step of their cancer experience and to consider what questions to ask; and provide information to help patients and carers communicate with health professionals.
- Acute leukaemia in children, adolescents and young adults: Your guide to best cancer care
- Acute myeloid leukaemia: Your guide to best cancer care
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: Your guide to best cancer care
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia: Your guide to best cancer care
Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer
The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer has been developed with the aim of reducing disparities and improving outcomes and experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer. The Optimal Care Pathway provides guidance to health practitioners and service planners on optimal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer, across the cancer continuum. It complements the best practice information provided in the cancer-specific pathways.
The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer is available in a full version and Quick Reference Guide (summary version).
For health professionals and health services
- Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer
- Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer: Quick Reference Guide
Resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and families affected by cancer
Clinical practice guidelines and other guidelines relating to leukaemia
• National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian consensus guidelines for the management of neutropenic fever in adult cancer patients
• American Society of Hematology, American Society of Hematology 2020 guidelines for treating newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia in older adults
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network (US), Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, version 1.2021 (register for free to access these)
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network (US), Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Acute Myeloid Leukemia, version 3.2021 (register for free to access these)
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network (US), Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma, version 4.2021 (register for free to access these)
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network (US), Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, version 3.2021 (register for free to access these)
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network (US), Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Hairy Cell Leukemia, version 2.2021 (register for free to access these)
• European Society for Medical Oncology, Clinical Practice Guidelines – Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in Adult Patients
• European Society for Medical Oncology, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines
• European Society for Medical Oncology, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines
• European Society for Medical Oncology, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for Diagnosis, Treatment and Follow-up
• European Society for Medical Oncology, Hairy Cell Leukaemia: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines
For more information about leukaemia, diagnosis and treatment
See the National Cancer Institute’s (US) resources for health professionals:
• Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment
• Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment
• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Treatment
• Hairy Cell Leukemia Treatment.
When reading materials that are published in other countries, note that some of the information may not apply to Australian patients.
