PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

All workshops will be held in-person on Tuesday 11 November 2025, at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Best Practices in Caring for Carers of People with Cancer

Tuesday 11 November 2025
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Riverbank Room 1

  • This evidence-based clinical update and interactive workshop will highlight best practices in the assessment, support, and intervention for family carers (caregivers) of individuals with a cancer diagnosis.

    As carers play an essential role throughout the cancer trajectory, it is critical for cancer care professionals to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify, assess, and respond to their evolving needs and distress, which is often equal to or greater than that of the patient.

    Led by clinician-researchers who have established and run dedicated psychosocial clinics for family carers in Canada and Australia, this workshop will review evidence-informed approaches to supporting carers; integrating carer screening into routine care; and evaluating the impact of interventions on carer, patient and cancer care system outcomes, with particular attention to underserved and high-need carer populations.

    Designed for a multidisciplinary audience, this session will incorporate case examples, practical tools, and interactive components to support skill development. Participants will leave with actionable strategies that can be applied in both clinical and research settings.

    Aligned with the Congress theme, this workshop reflects the growing recognition of carers as essential members of the cancer care team and aims to build capacity to advance dedicated carer-care and evidence globally.

    1. Gain evidence-based, actionable strategies and data-driven recommendations for supporting carers of people with cancer.

    2. Develop skills to implement these best practices in clinical care.

    3. Learn how to evaluate the effect of interventions for carers on carer, patient, and system outcomes.

    • Rinat Nissim - Staff psychologist, Co-director Caregiver Clinic, Department of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Canada

    • Ella Saxton - Senior clinical psychologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia

Bereavement Care – Raising the Bar

Tuesday 11 November 2025
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Riverbank Room 1

  • Bereavement care, including the assessment of risk, is best conceptualized within the framework of prevention. Even though it is considered to be an essential component of quality end-of-life care within the hospice and palliative care movement, bereavement outreach varies greatly following the death of a patient depending upon the institution and its resources, the discipline of the providers, and the types of support offered. Few cancer hospitals have standardized bereavement programs and clinicians typically receive little training in providing bereavement care and often feel unprepared to do so.

    In this workshop, the nature of grief will be presented from a psychological perspective highlighting the importance of loss and change following the death of a patient. An overview about the experience of normal grief and the risk factors for poor bereavement outcomes will be discussed, including the death of a child and lack of preparation for the death. Incorporating different teaching modalities, including experiential exercises, video clips, case studies and break-out groups, a number of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies will be outlined that participants will be able to use in their own bereavement work with individuals or in group settings.

    1. Participants will be able to describe the central psychological factors of grief.

    2. Participants will be able to list the risk factors for poor bereavement outcomes.

    3. Participants will be able to outline four psychological strategies for working with the bereaved based on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) that can be used with individuals or in group settings.

  • Sue Morris - Senior psychologist and Director of Bereavement Services, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Having the conversation: Facilitating genetic testing for oncology health care professionals

Tuesday 11 November 2025
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Riverbank Room 3

  • This interactive, practice-based workshop is designed for oncology healthcare professionals who want to enhance their skills in communicating and facilitating mainstream genetic testing.

    Participants learn how to order genetics tests under Medicare item numbers, discuss ethical considerations, and the implications for patients and their families.

    Key Topics Covered:

    • Basics of Genetic Testing: Learn about the fundamentals of genetic testing in oncology, including how to order tests and interpret results.

    • Ethical Considerations: Explore the ethical issues surrounding genetic testing, including privacy, consent, and the potential implications for family members.

    • Patient Communication: Practice discussing genetic testing, including how to explain the benefits, risks, and limitations.

    • Identifying Eligible Patients: Understand the criteria for identifying patients who may benefit from genetic testing and familiarise yourself with the current Medicare Item numbers.

    • Collaboration with Genetics Clinics: Find your closest genetic clinic and consider how to effectively work together to ensure comprehensive patient care.

    • Consent Process: Review how to obtain informed consent for genetic testing

    By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to communicate about, and facilitate genetic testing in their oncology practice, optimising care and outcomes for patients.

    Participants will also be provided with access to relevant resources to support their practice following the workshop.

    1. Learn how to arrange mainstream genetic testing including: Identifying eligible patients, genetic test types and interpreting results

    2. Develop awareness of the ethical issues associated with genetic testing including: privacy, consent, and the potential impact on family members.

    3. Practice having a conversation about genetic testing and test results with patients.

    • Georgina Schlub - Lecturer, Graduate School of Health, Discipline of Genetic Counselling, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

    • Georgina Schlub - Lecturer, Graduate School of Health, Discipline of Genetic Counselling, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

    • Lucinda Freeman - Head of Discipline, Genetic Counselling, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

Moving Exercise into Practice: Advancing the COSA Exercise and Cancer Position Statement

Tuesday 11 November 2025
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Riverbank Room 3

Sponsored by

  • This interactive pre-conference workshop will focus on translating the COSA Exercise and Cancer Position Statement into practice. Participants will be exploring findings from the COSA implementation working group, including how we can implement actions from the position statement, early insights into implementation barriers, enablers, and preliminary recommendations.

    To inspire and inform practical action, selected speakers will present case studies from leading programs where exercise has been successfully integrated into cancer care. These real-world examples will highlight different models, challenges, and outcomes.

    Attendees will then engage in structured group activities to form a broader consensus on the barriers and enablers, refine recommendations, and prioritise implementation strategies using an evidence-informed framework (APEASE).

    Ideal for clinicians, researchers, allied health professionals, and service managers, this session provides tools, insights, and collaborative opportunities to drive national progress in exercise oncology.

    1. Learn from successful implementation case studies showcasing how exercise has been embedded into oncology care across various healthcare settings.

    2. Analyse current barriers and enablers to implementation identified by the COSA working group and refine national recommendations through collaborative group work.

    3. Use the APEASE framework alongside consensus-building methods to identify and prioritise actionable next steps for embedding exercise as standard care in cancer treatment across varied settings.

    • Lisa Guccione - Post Doctoral Researcher, Implementation Science, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

    • Camille Short - Behavioural scientist, The University of Melbourne

    • Lara Edbrooke - Physiotherapist, The University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

    • Prue Cormie - Exercise physiologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Prehabilitation in Action: A multidisciplinary approach to screening, assessment and intervention

Tuesday 11 November 2025
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Riverbank Room 4

  • Prehabilitation in Action is an interactive workshop that enables clinicians to explore the growing evidence alongside relevant clinical application in optimising patients prior to major cancer surgery.

    Evidence for cancer prehabilitation is growing, with strong benefits seen in reducing post-operative complications and enhancing long-term patient outcomes.

    This workshop will explore the Prep-4-Cancer Surgery toolkit which highlights the latest evidence, practical tools and approaches in cancer prehabilitation programs – join us to share knowledge and build a community of practice in cancer prehabilitation.

    Proposed workshop program:

    1. Presentation exploring the Prep 4 Cancer Surgery toolkit

    2. Breakout groups into discipline specific groups for case study discussions

    3. Q&A session with a multidisciplinary panel of experts

    1. Increase knowledge in identifying and applying risk stratification and assessment strategies to tailor multidisciplinary care for patients undergoing cancer surgery

    2. Increase skills to implement evidence-based frameworks and interventions to support the standardisation of prehabilitation practices and promote health equity

    3. Develop awareness of the Prep-4-Cancer Surgery toolkit to contribute to knowledge sharing and build a community of practice in cancer prehabilitation

    • Dr Christina Prickett - Clinical Psychologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia

    • Jess Crowe - Clinical Lead Physiotherapist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Barwon Health, Melbourne, Australia

    • Lisa Nguyen - Physiotherapist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia

    • Dr Fiona Lynch - Senior Clinical Psychologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia

    • Anna Beaumont - Senior Dietitian, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia

    • Catherine Sinton - Clinical Nurse Consultant, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia

    • Rajib Ahmed - Consultant anaesthetist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & The Alfred, Melbourne, Australia

Muscle matters: practical approaches to body composition, nutrition and optimising muscle health in cancer care

Tuesday 11 November 2025
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Riverbank Room 4

Sponsored by

  • This workshop will highlight the latest research and best practice approaches in the measurement of body composition and physical function and how you can work to optimise muscle health and manage cancer-related malnutrition with your patients. Workshop discussions and practical examples will help to demystify different techniques and guide pragmatic use and interpretation in clinical practice. The workshop will feature international expert Prof. Carla Prado and national experts in cancer nutrition and body composition.

    Participation is ideal for multidisciplinary clinicians/researchers and particularly relevant for dietitians and other clinicians using body composition and physical function techniques within their clinical practice with cancer patients.

    This workshop is brought to you by the COSA Nutrition Group.

    1. Improve knowledge and awareness of the impact of cancer-related malnutrition and muscle health on patient care and outcomes and of evidence-based approaches to assessing body composition and physical function

    2. Increase confidence in how to complete bedside body composition and physical function assessment techniques and learn about strategies to implement these into clinical practice

    3. Improve interpretation of assessment results and support multidisciplinary decision-making, including how to communicate findings and guide tailored nutrition and supportive care interventions

    • Jenelle Loeliger - Chair of the COSA Nutrition Group, Advanced APD and Joint Manager of Nutrition and Speech Pathology Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

    • Judy Bauer - Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University

    • Carla Prado - Distinguished Professor, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Integrative Nutrition, Body Composition and Energy Metabolism, University of Alberta, Canada

    • Kate Lambell - Clinical dietitian, Manager of Nutrition and Dietetics, Peninsula Health

    • Merran Findlay

    • Nicole Kiss

Cancer Pharmacists’ Group Clinical Development Workshop

Tuesday 11 November 2025
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Riverbank Room 5

Sponsored by

  • The COSA Cancer Pharmacists Group invites its members and other interested pharmacists to attend the 8th Pre-ASM Clinical Development Workshop. This workshop will allow experienced cancer pharmacists to get together and share ideas and develop their practice, as well as providing a place for less experienced pharmacists to meet and network with experienced practitioners.

    Networking is one of the strongest tools we have and this meeting allows face to face networking, promoting peer to peer work throughout the country subsequent to the ASM.

    1. Understanding of therapeutic drug monitoring of antiinfectives in haematology patients

    2. Knowledge of new developments in the management of gynaecological malignancies

    3. Enhancing clinicians’ interactions with patients who use AI to obtain health information

    4. Knowledge of new developments in the management of gynaecological malignancies

    • Jenny Casanova - Senior Pharmacist in Cancer Services, Flinders Medical Centre

    • Kimberley-Ann Kerr - SHPA Specialty Practice Group member, Lead Pharmacist, ECPS Project, Digital Health SA, SA Health

    • Philip Selby - Senior Clinical Pharmacist in Haematology, Royal Adelaide Hospital

    • Angela Yong - Consultant haematologist, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Lyell McEwin Hospital and Adelaide Blood Specialists

    • Bradley Menz - Senior Pharmacist in Medical Oncology, Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University

    • Tiffany Foo - Medical Oncologist, Flinders Medical Centre and Calvary Hospital