Overview
Rare cancers account for 20 per cent of cancers diagnosed in Australia, and 30 per cent of cancer-related deaths. People with rare cancers are more likely to die from their disease than people with more common cancers.
The outlook for people with rare cancers is not as good as that for people with more common cancers because:
- Rare cancers are often diagnosed at late, more advanced and harder to treat stages, because there are no effective screening strategies For patients and their health professionals may not recognise the symptoms of rare cancers
- Treatments for many rare cancers have not advanced at the same pace as treatments for more common cancers in recent years. This is because it is much harder to research or perform clinical trials for rarer diseases and there is often less support for researchers or clinicians.
The COSA Rare Cancers Group was established to help support and improve outcomes for patients with rare cancers. We work with community support groups such as Rare Cancers Australia (rarecancers.org.au) and the Cancer Council's Rare and Less Common Cancers Working Group.
We take an Australia-wide and international approach as collaborations are vital to more rapidly develop rare cancer knowledge and provide the most robust evidence-based for rare cancer patients.
Our membership is open to allied health and medical practitioners, and cancer researchers, with an interest in rare cancers. We also work with other tumour stream specialty groups to promote and develop rare cancer trials and research.
Group information
Read the Rare Cancers Group Terms of Reference
Read the AGM Minutes from 7 December 2020
What’s the latest
Group Chair

Group Chair
Clare Scott
Rare Cancers Group Chair & ANZGOG Representative
Join Australia's leading oncology community & make an impact
Become a COSA memberTwitter
@COSAoncology
Follow

COSAoncology 2 days ago
Our Financial Toxicity Working Group is hosting a webinar on Monday 28 July for COSA members to hear about service developments in financial navigation and how they align with implementation of the COSA Roadmap to Reducing Financial Toxicity. For more info bit.ly/4lXF6yZ
Read More >
COSAoncology 7 days ago
COSA's Nutrition Group Speed Networking Event is on Fri 25 July. COSA members, here's your chance to meet leading dietitians & researchers Jane Stewart, Merran Findlay & Emily Jeffery and connect with others interested in nutrition and cancer! Register at bit.ly/4nmK8GU
Read More >
COSAoncology 8 days ago
Thank you @POCOG1 for maintaining Affiliated membership with COSA. PoCoG members get a discount for COSA membership, and might be interested in attending COSA-IPOS 2025 – COSA members also make a saving on registration! bit.ly/3hXsDLm
Read More >
COSAoncology 8 days ago
COSA is pleased to endorse the Survivorship Care for People Affected by Advanced or Metastatic Cancer: MASCC-ASCO Standards and Practice Recommendations. bit.ly/44JLN0A Read the endorsement paper from @DrNicolasHart and his co-authors at bit.ly/3GINjIi
Read More >
COSAoncology 9 days ago
We are pleased that @MOGA_ORG continue to be an Affiliated member organisation with COSA, and look forward to our ongoing collaboration to improve cancer care and control.MOGA provided their Marryalyan Report for COSA’s June eNews: bit.ly/4kpHz3V
Read More >
COSAoncology 14 days ago
Thank you again to @RANZCRcollege for continuing your COSA Affiliated membership. RANZCR members are reminded to take advantage of the Affiliated discount for COSA memberships: bit.ly/3s5mOC6
Read More >
COSAoncology 15 days ago
Thanks to @ESSA_NEWS for renewing as a COSA Associated organisation and continuing to collaborate with COSA. A reminder that ESSA members are invited to take advantage of discounted COSA membership: bit.ly/3s5mOC6
Read More >
COSAoncology 23 days ago
Our Nutrition Group is hosting a Speed Networking Event on Fri 25 July for COSA members to get to know leading dietitians and researchers including Jane Stewart, Merran Findlay & Emily Jeffery. Connect with COSA members interested in nutrition and cancer! bit.ly/4nmK8GU
Read More >
COSAoncology 23 days ago
The Tom Reeve Award recognises a national leader who's made significant contributions to cancer care. The award will be presented at COSA-IPOS 2025 in Adelaide in November where the recipient is invited to deliver an address. Nominations closing 14 July. bit.ly/3hIXWcV
Read More >
COSAoncology 28 days ago
Have you renewed your COSA membership yet? You might like to renew before 30 June 2025: bit.ly/4cI0nc3
Read More >