- GROUP Adolescent & Young Adult
- PROJECT SPAN 2024
- DATE 30/09/2024
Overview
COSA has developed updated Guidelines for the psychosocial management of AYAs diagnosed with cancer in partnership with the Behavioural Sciences Unit at UNSW Sydney with funding facilitated by Canteen, as part of the Youth Cancer Services program funded by the Australian Government.
Details on this project
These guidelines will replace the guidance for healthcare professionals titled Psychosocial management of AYAs diagnosed with cancer, published by COSA in 2012.
The updated guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations and good practice statements to assist healthcare professionals in recognising and meeting the particular psychosocial needs of AYAs with cancer in Australia.
They provide psychosocial information on the following key areas for AYAs with cancer:
- Recommendations for delivering health care
- Recommendations for clinical management
- Recommendations for acute psychosocial care
- Recommendations for post-acute psychosocial care
- Recommendations for treatment and side effects
- Recommendations for enhancing well-being
- Recommendations for life outside cancer
- Recommendations for relationships
- Recommendations for progressive and incurable cancer
Public consultation
The draft Guidelines for the psychosocial management of AYAs diagnosed with cancer were open for public consultation from 30 September 2024 to 18 October 2024.
COSA received excellent feedback from members and other stakeholders, including patient representatives.
All feedback will be considered by the Working Group members, particularly the lead author/s of the relevant sections. Where appropriate, modifications will be made to the draft guidelines. The final version will be available via the COSA website in early 2025.
COSA would like to sincerely thank the multidisciplinary Working Group for their contribution to this worthwhile project, chaired by Dr Ursula Sansom-Daly, and the Research Team behind the update – Dr Hayley Griffin and Dr Rachel Houweling.
Related projects
Adolescent & Young Adult
AYA Research Agenda Workshop
Join Australia's leading oncology community & make an impact
Become a COSA memberTwitter
@COSAoncology
Follow

COSAoncology 5 hours ago
Our Cancer Pharmacists Group Clinical Development Workshop is back! This 3-hour educational afternoon will take place on Tuesday 11 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre. COSA CPG members and other interested pharmacists are encouraged to attend.
Read More >
COSAoncology yesterday
Save the date for the PGX Debate! COSA, @CAPhO_ACPhO @ISOPPorg and @BOPACommittee leaders will face off in a lively 3-minute-thesis-style debate - Is pharmacogenomics over-rated? - Evidence, energy and humour guaranteed! Tuesday 28 October 8:00PM AEDT
Read More >
COSAoncology 7 days ago
It is just six weeks till the multidisciplinary cancer care community meets in Adelaide for #COSAIPOS2025 to share insights, highlight innovation and influence best practice. View the packed program
Read More >
COSAoncology 15 days ago
Catch the Highlights of ISOPP CAPhO Symposium 2025 in a live webinar Saturday 27 September 7:30am AEST. Speakers include @DrKEWatson, Melanie Danilak & Prof Lita Chew. The webinar is free for members of @COSAoncology @ISOPPorg @CAPhO_ACPhO @BOPACommittee.
Read More >
COSAoncology 15 days ago
Our September member newsletter is out now. Check your inbox for COSA news – opportunities, group and affiliate updates, webinars, journal articles and more. Or log in and read it online anytime at
Read More >
COSAoncology 16 days ago
Check your inbox for the September Nutrition Group eNews for journal articles, PD, resources and more. If you're not subscribed, login to your COSA member account
Read More >
COSAoncology 22 days ago
@COSAoncology @ASCO @EuropeanCancer are using their collective voices to raise awareness of challenges impacting the wellbeing of health professionals and to define principles for creating healthy workplace cultures in health systems. See Lancet Oncology
Read More >
COSAoncology 22 days ago
Exercise & Cancer / Global Oncology Group Fellowship opportunities! COSA is offering two Fellowships to early-mid career researchers to coordinate and lead a study to develop a model of care for exercise oncology for a lower-middle-income country setting.
Read More >
COSAoncology 23 days ago
The latest Survivorship eNews is out now! With working group updates, new COSA-endorsed resources, journal articles, COSA-IPOS 2025 key survivorship sessions & more. Check your inbox, visit
Read More >
COSAoncology 23 days ago
Cancer Pharmacists Group Fellowship opportunity! COSA is offering an early career researcher mentorship, guidance and support to develop a COSA position statement on 'Documentation of Hypersensitivity Reactions to SACT'. Find out more
Read More >