You might feel overwhelmed, scared, anxious or upset if you have been diagnosed with cancer – these are all normal feelings. It’s very important to have support from family, friends, health professionals or other services to help you cope with cancer.

Getting the best advice and care: a guide for those affected by lung cancer contains guidance on what people with lung cancer can do to start conversations with their health professionals and be actively involved in the decisions about their care.

Living with cancer has information about physical, emotional and practical issues during and after diagnosis and treatment.

Your guide to best cancer care 

The Guide to Best Cancer Care (summary of the Optimal Care Pathway) is available to help you understand the best cancer care that should be provided from diagnosis, through to treatment and beyond. It is available in multiple languages.

It includes timeframes within which tests or procedures should ideally be completed. It can also help you with questions to ask your health professionals to make sure you receive the best care at every step.

• Lung cancer: Your guide to best cancer care

The full version of the Optimal care pathway for people with lung cancer is available here.

There are also two resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to help you to know what to expect:

• Checking for cancer – what to expect
• Cancer – what to expect

Cancer Australia’s resource Cancer – how are you travelling? provides information to help you understand the emotional and social impact of cancer. Order or download a copy.

The Lung cancer – understanding, managing, living DVD looks at what happens from when a person is diagnosed with lung cancer through to available treatments and living with cancer. View it on Cancer Australia’s Youtube channel.

The diagnosis of cancer is stressful and confronting for anyone. However, there is emerging evidence that lung cancer patients, more so than those with other cancers, may feel stigmatised by their disease. Information about stigma and nihilism following a diagnosis of lung cancer is available:

• A systematic review of the impact of stigma and nihilism on lung cancer outcomes
• The impact of stigma on people diagnosed with lung cancer video resource.

The Cancer Council in your state or territory can give you general information about cancer, as well as information on resources and support groups in your local area. Call the Cancer Council Information and Support Helpline from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call on 13 11 20.

Other cancer support organisations including the Lung Cancer Foundation can also help you and your loved ones deal with the challenges of cancer.