- FOUNDED 2012
Overview
COSA members formed the cancer survivorship group in November 2012 in recognition of the growing importance of survivorship care of people diagnosed with cancer. Our multidisciplinary Group provides a platform for the discussion and ongoing development of survivorship care in Australia. We recognise that quality survivorship care is essential to supporting the well-being of people diagnosed with cancer and their families.
The overarching aim of the COSA Survivorship Group is to advance care and research to improve outcomes for all Australians after cancer treatment.
Group information
Survivorship Group objectives include:
- Represent the needs of the broad range of health professionals involved in delivering care for cancer survivors
- Provide a forum for education, discussion and exchange of information between health professionals involved in cancer survivorship care
- Foster research in cancer survivorship
- Promote and advocate for improved survivorship services and access to care for all Australians living with and beyond cancer
- Engage stakeholders in the area of cancer survivorship care to ensure a coordinated, national approach to survivorship care in Australia and to facilitate policy development to inform such care
Working Groups
- Patient Reported Outcomes Working Group
- Financial Toxicity Working Group
- Survivorship Policy and Implementation Working Group
Advocacy
- An Unmet Needs Assessment Tool for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment Impact: The MASCC COG-IMPACT – COSA endorsement August 2025
- Survivorship Care for People Affected by Advanced or Metastatic Cancer: MASCC-ASCO Standards and Practice Recommendations COSA endorsement – July 2025
- Financial Toxicity Roadmap to Reducing Financial Toxicity Experienced by People Affected by Cancer – March 2024
- PROActive workshop advocacy priority areas – July 2024
- Survivorship Policy Working Group submission to the draft Australian Cancer Plan consultation - December 2022
- Financial Toxicity in Cancer Care – May 2022
- Survivorship Primary Care Working Group submission to Australian Cancer Plan – March 2022
- Survivorship Policy Working Group submission to Australian Cancer Plan – March 2022
COSA Model of Care
The COSA Model of Survivorship Care is under review. Any members who want to contribute to the update should contact cosa@cancer.org.au
- Clinical Oncology Society of Australia position statement on cancer survivorship care – AJGP 2019
- COSA Model of Survivorship Care – January 2016
In 2020, COSA established its Survivorship Fellowship program for early career researchers to lead studies to help build capacity in survivorship research. Fellows receive mentorship, guidance and support from the Survivorship Executive Committee comprised of internationally renowned senior clinicians and researchers in cancer survivorship. Each project will help advance survivorship research and improve outcomes for all Australians after cancer treatment.
Survivorship Fellows
Fellowship Projects
- Patterns of Care and Health Service Costs for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors in Queensland
- Quality cancer survivorship care: a modified Delphi study to define nurse capabilities
- Utilisation of Medicare Chronic Disease Management item numbers for people with cancer in Queensland, Australia
- Priorities for multimorbidity management and research in cancer: a Delphi study of Australian cancer survivors, clinicians, and researchers
- Defining research and infrastructure priorities for cancer survivorship in Australia: a modified Delphi study
- Priority recommendations for the implementation of patient-reported outcomes in clinical cancer care: A Delphi study
- Current landscape of cancer survivorship research in Australia
The 2025 National Cancer Survivorship Conference was held in Melbourne from the 6-7 March 2025.
Collaborative Survivorship Webinars are available to all members
Catch up on COSA Survivorship Group eNews from the last few years. The Survivorship Group eNews is only available for members, so you'll need to login to access.
Group Executive Committee
Chair: Prof Nicolas Hart, University of Technology Sydney, NSW
Deputy Chair: Dr Kate Webber, Monash Health / Monash University, VIC
A/Prof Mahesh Iddawela, Alfred Health & La Trobe Regional Hospital, VIC
Dr Carolyn Mazariego, University of New South Wales/SPHERE, NSW
Ms Rebecca McIntosh, healthAbility / Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC
Ms Carmel O’Kane, Wimmera Cancer Centre / Grampians Health Horsham, VIC
A/Professor Anna Ugalde, Deakin University VIC
Dr Thomas Walwyn, Royal Hobart Hospital, TAS
Co-opted Executive members
Chair, PRO Working Group: Prof Bogda Koczwara AM, Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship
eNews Co-editor: Dr Md Mijanur Rahman, Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CCORE), The Ingham Institute, UNSW
eNews Co-editor: Dr Carla Thamm, Flinders University SA/Metro South Hospital and Health Service QLD
Co-Chair, Financial Toxicity Working Group: Prof Megan Varlow, Cancer Institute NSW
You can view all COSA Quickfires on our YouTube channel
What’s the latest
Group Chair

Group Chair
Nicolas Hart
Survivorship Group Chair
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COSAoncology yesterday
Congratulations @Joanne472 recipient of the 2025 Melanie Price Psycho-Oncology Award and Dr Sarah Ellis recipient of the 2025 Phyllis Butow New Investigator Award. Join us in recognising their achievements at COSA-IPOS 2025 in Adelaide in November.
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COSAoncology 9 days ago
Congrats Prof Gail Garvey AM recipient of 2025 Tom Reeve Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cancer Care. Her work has contributed greatly to policy and practice changes to improve the outcomes of First Nation's people with cancer. Presentation & oration
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COSAoncology 16 days ago
Our August member newsletter is out now. Check your inbox for COSA news and updates – webinars, resources, opportunities, journal articles and events. Or log in and read it online anytime at
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COSAoncology 21 days ago
Earlybird closes in 1 week! Don't miss the exciting program and networking opportunities at #COSAIPOS2025 this November in beautiful Adelaide. With support from #Adelaide, @BizEventsAdl, @AdelaideCC. View the program
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COSAoncology 22 days ago
Join us for a collaborative webinar exploring nurse-led survivorship care models and their role in addressing pressures in the health system. Ideal for multidisciplinary cancer care teams looking to embed sustainable, outcomes-focused survivorship care.
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COSAoncology 23 days ago
In partnership with @CancerCouncilOz, we’re offering three grants up to AUD$3,300 to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates to attend #COSAIPOS2025 in Adelaide this November. Applications close in one week. Apply now
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COSAoncology 28 days ago
Are you joining us in Adelaide in November for #COSAIPOS2025? Earlybird discounts end in 2 weeks. So grab the opportunity today to connect with new and familiar faces for an exciting multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary program.
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COSAoncology one month ago
New Survivorship Fellowship opportunity. COSA is offering an early career researcher mentorship, guidance and support to lead a project mapping survivorship in state, territory and national cancer plans. Find out more
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COSAoncology one month ago
In partnership with @CancerCouncilOz we're offering three travel grants of up to AUD$3,300 to support Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander delegates to attend COSA-IPOS 2025 in Adelaide in November. Applications close Wed 27 Aug COB AEST. Apply now
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COSAoncology one month ago
Vaping has become widespread in Australia, yet there is limited consolidated information about the potential harms. Launched today, COSA's E-Cigarettes and Cancer research report distils the current scientific knowledge on vapes as a cancer risk.
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