The Border Cancer Hospital
Part of Ramsay Health Care

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be daunting. But choosing a cancer service for your treatment doesn’t have to be.

The Border Cancer Hospital offers you the best in personalised cancer care for adults. With a treatment  plan tailored to your needs and a network of coordinated support services close to home our experienced team is ready to help you along every step of the cancer pathway.

 

Caring for you and your family

Holistic cancer care, tailored to your needs.

Becoming a patient

Here’s everything you need to know about starting cancer treatment or rehabilitation at The Border Cancer Hospital.

Your care team

At The Border Cancer Hospital, you’ll be cared for by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals dedicated to enhancing your treatment, follow-up care and quality of life.

 

Your cancer wellness services

You are more than a cancer diagnosis. That’s why The Border Cancer Hospital takes a holistic view of your treatment and follow-up care with a range of physical and emotional wellness services available through the wider community health care services, including those specifically designed for people with cancer and their carers and family.

 

Your treatment program

Information is key when you have been diagnosed with cancer. We’ve compiled some common information about receiving treatment and follow-up care for cancer at The Border Cancer Hospital.

 

Costs to consider

We appreciate that being diagnosed with cancer may impact your finances. Here’s an overview of the costs you may need to consider during treatment, together with the financial support and other services available to you.

 

Cancer specialties

Different types of cancer require different types of treatment. At The Border Cancer Hospital, we specialise in treating a wide range of cancers.

 

Blood (lymphoma, leukaemia & myeloma)

Blood cancers – such as lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma – occur when your body makes abnormal blood cells that grow rapidly and out of control, making it difficult for your bone marrow and lymphatic system to work the way it should.

Read more about blood cancers.

Diagnosis: Blood cancers can be detected by blood tests. Pathologists look for specific signs and markers of cancer in your blood. 

Treatment: Treatment for blood cancers may involve chemotherapy or other targeted drug therapy, radiotherapy and/or stem cell transplant.

Wellness services: In addition to your treatment, you may also need to access the allied health and/or cancer wellness support services offered at The Border Cancer Hospital to help you manage side effects or symptoms such as fatigue, difficultly sleeping, poor appetite.

 

Gynaecological

Gynaecological cancers occur when cells in the female reproductive system grow in an abnormal and uncontrolled way, forming a tumour. Gynaecological cancers can include ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer and cancer of the fallopian tubes. 

Read more about types of gynaecological cancers.

Diagnosis: Signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancer can be non-specific, making them difficult to identify. Common signs may include abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, frequent urination, constipation and menstrual irregularities. Gynaecological cancers can be detected through screening or scans, such as a CT scan. A biopsy of the affected area will be taken to confirm your diagnosis. 

Treatment: Treatment for gynaecological cancers may involve surgery to remove a tumour, and chemotherapy or other targeted drug, hormonal or immunotherapy and/or radiotherapy to destroy cancer cells.

Wellness services: In addition to your treatment, you may also need to access the allied health and/or cancer wellness support services offered at The Border Cancer Hospital to help you manage side effects or symptoms such as fatigue, difficultly sleeping and poor appetite. 

 
 

Breast

Breast cancer occurs when cells lining the lobules and ducts of your breast grow in an abnormal and uncontrolled way, forming a tumour.

Read more about breast cancer

Diagnosis: Not all breast cancers show symptoms. Some common signs and symptoms can include new lumps or changes to the shape of your breast, pain in the breast or nipple, dimpling in the breast or nipple and nipple discharge. Breast cancer can be detected through a mammogram or ultrasound. A biopsy of the affected are will be taken to confirm your diagnosis.

Treatment: Treatment for breast cancer may involve surgery to remove a tumour, and chemotherapy or other targeted drug, hormonal or immunotherapy and/or radiotherapy to destroy cancer cells.

Wellness services: In addition to your treatment, you may also need to access the allied health and/or cancer wellness support services offered at The Border Cancer Hospital to help you manage side effects or symptoms such as fatigue, difficultly sleeping and poor appetite.

 

Lung & mesothelioma

Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lung grow in an abnormal and uncontrolled way, forming a tumour. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by inhaled asbestos fibres. It can grow in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.

Read more about lung cancer from Cancer Australia and Lung Foundation Australia.

Diagnosis: Signs and symptoms of lung cancer can include shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing or spitting up blood. You may have a number of tests to detect and diagnose lung cancer, including x-rays and scans, a lung function test and a biopsy of the affected area.

Treatment: Treatment lung cancer and mesothelioma may involve surgery to remove a tumour, radiotherapy and thermal ablation to destroy cancer cells, and chemotherapy or other targeted drug or immunotherapies.

Wellness services: In addition to your treatment, you may also need to access the allied health and/or cancer wellness support services offered at The Border Cancer Hospital to help you manage side effects or symptoms such as fatigue, difficultly sleeping and poor appetite. 

 

Melanoma & skin cancer

Melanoma occurs when the body’s pigment cells, called melanocytes, grow in an abnormal and uncontrolled way, forming a skin lesion. Non-melanoma skin cancer is cancer that occurs in any other skin cell that is not a melanocyte.

Read more about Melanoma and skin cancer.

Diagnosis: Melanoma and skin cancers appear as an unusual spot or lump on your skin, or a change to an existing mole. You will have a biopsy of the suspicious area to confirm a diagnosis of cancer. You may have other scans or tests to see if the cancer has spread beyond the suspicious skin lesion.

Treatment: Treatment for melanoma and skin cancers usually involves surgery to remove the affected area. You may also have radiotherapy, chemotherapy or other targeted drug or immunotherapy to destroy cancer cells.

Wellness services: In addition to your treatment, you may also need to access the allied health and/or cancer wellness support services offered at The Border Cancer Hospital to help you manage side effects or symptoms such as fatigue, difficultly sleeping and poor appetite.

 

Urological (including kidney, bladder, testicular & prostate)

Urological cancers are cancers that affect the structure of the male and female urinary system (including kidney, bladder and urethral cancer) and the male reproductive system (including testicular, prostate and penile cancers).

Read more about prostate cancer

Diagnosis:The symptoms of urological cancers will depend on the type of cancer but can include changes in urination and sexual functioning. Urological cancers can be detected using blood and urine tests, scans and/or a cystoscopy or ureteroscopy. A biopsy of the affected area will be undertaken to confirm a cancer diagnosis.

Treatment: Treatment for urologic cancers will depend on the cancer type but can include surgery to remove the tumour. You may also have radiotherapy, chemotherapy or other targeted drug or immunotherapy to destroy cancer cells.

Wellness services: In addition to your treatment, you may also need to access the allied health and/or cancer wellness support services offered at The Border Cancer Hospital to help you manage side effects or symptoms such as fatigue, difficultly sleeping and poor appetite.

 

Cancer treatments

 

Our facilities

As a cancer service provider within the East Hume Region. The Border Cancer Hospital can provide patients with access to a variety of cancer treatment prescribed by their cancer specialist and support services close to home.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials are conducted to help find better ways to detect, diagnose and treat cancer. Participating in clinical trials helps to keep The Border Cancer Hospital at the forefront of cancer care and may give you the opportunity to access new treatment options.