Improving psychological care for those with cancer

The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) officially launched the 2025 COSA Guidelines for the Psychosocial Management of Adolescents and Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer, a landmark national resource designed to improve psychosocial care across the cancer care trajectory for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer.

The guidelines draw on extensive evidence to provide clinicians with age-appropriate recommendations that address communication, mental health, family involvement, treatment impacts, and wellbeing across the cancer trajectory. 

By setting a national benchmark for best practice, these guidelines will enhance the consistency and quality of psychosocial support delivered across health services for children with cancer, improving their experience and long‑term wellbeing.

The development of these COSA guidelines was led by the Behavioural Sciences Unit, part of the Kids Cancer Centre at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, and University of NSW Sydney, in partnership with COSA and national experts.

 

Strengthening biospecimen management in cancer clinical trials

In 2025, the Tumour Bank continued to deliver a fully integrated, end-to-end biospecimen management workflow, ensuring every sample, from receipt and processing through to controlled storage, quality assurance and monitored release, meets the rigorous standards required for cancer research and clinical trials.

Throughout the year, the Tumour Bank managed 129 biospecimens, supporting 49 patients enrolled in several cancer trials. By enhancing workflow consistency and reliability, the Tumour Bank underpins research-enabled care, ensuring scientific accuracy and strengthening the hospital’s clinical research capability for children and families.

The Tumour Bank are part of the Children’s Cancer Research Unit at Kids Research, based at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.