Download Resources

We have a large number of resources that can be downloaded to give you easy to read information about cancer, treatment, emotional and practical issues, and our support services.

These resources are meant to complement the information you receive from your health-care professionals. Each resource is reviewed regularly by cancer experts so you receive the most up to date information.

If you, or your family or friend, are affected by cancer, and would like a hard copy of any of the resources please call Cancer Council 13 11 20 Information and Support line to order. For other orders please use our Online Resource Order form

On this page you will find information on:

Cancer Council Queensland Support Services
Types of Cancer
Support During and After Treatment
Cancer Treatment
Side Effects
Coping with Cancer
Coping with Hair Loss
Support for Children
Cancer and Work
Legal and Financial Issues
Cancer in the Workplace
Advanced Cancer
Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Information in Other Languages
What to Expect Guides

Cancer Council Queensland Support Services

Types of Cancer

Information to help you to understand how different cancers are diagnosed and treated, and how to find extra support.

Understanding Anal Cancer

This fact sheet will help you understand more about anal cancer

Understanding Bladder Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about bladder cancer

Understanding Bowel Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about bowel cancer, which is also known as colorectal cancer

Understanding Brain Tumours

This booklet will help you understand more about brain and spinal cord tumours

Understanding Breast Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about early and locally advanced breast cancer

Understanding Cancer of Unknown Primary

This booklet will help you understand more about Cancer of the Unknown Primary (CUP)

Understanding Cancer of the Uterus

This booklet will help you understand more about cancer of the uterus, also called uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, womb cancer, or cancer of the lining of the womb

Understanding Cervical Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about cervical cancer. This information is relevant for anyone with a cervix

Understanding Head and Neck Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about head and neck cancers, a general term for a range of cancers in the mouth, nose, throat and neck areas

Understanding Kidney Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about the most common type of kidney cancer - renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

Understanding Cancer in the Liver

This booklet will help you understand more about cancer that affects the liver

Understanding Lung Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about lung cancer

Understanding Melanoma

This booklet will help you understand more about melanoma, a type of skin cancer

Understanding Mesothelioma

This booklet will help you understand more about pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma

Understanding Ovarian Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about ovarian cancer

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about pancreatic cancer

Understanding Primary Bone Cancer

This fact sheet will help you understand more about primary bone cancer, also known as bone sarcoma

Understanding Prostate Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about prostate cancer

Understanding Secondary Bone Cancer

This fact sheet will help you understand more about secondary bone cancer

Understanding Skin Cancer

This booklet will help you understand how the two most common types of skin cancer - basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) - are diagnosed and treated

Understanding Stomach and Oesophageal Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about cancer of the stomach and oesophagus

Understanding Testicular Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about testicular cancer

Understanding Thyroid Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about thyroid cancer

Understanding Vulvar and Vaginal Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about vulvar and vaginal cancers

Support During and After Treatment

There are many questions that might come up during and after your cancer treatment. You may have questions about exercise, nutrition, fertility and intimacy.

Cancer Support and Information

We offer a range of support services and information for those affected by cancer

Nutrition and Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about nutrition and how to eat well before, during and after cancer treatment. We cover the guidelines for healthy eating and some of the common eating problems caused by cancer or its treatment

Exercise for People Living with Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about exercise, and provides information about the benefits of exercise during and after cancer treatment

Fertility and Cancer

This booklet is for people who have questions about the impact of cancer treatments on their fertility

Sexuality, Intimacy and Cancer

This booklet will help you understand the ways cancer and its treatment may affect your sexuality, sex life and relationships

Cancer Care and Your Rights

This booklet is for people starting their journey through the health care system after a cancer diagnosis

Cancer in the School Community

This guide is for school staff who would like to support students, families and colleagues affected by cancer. The content is relevant for all primary and secondary school staff throughout Australia. It may also be useful for parents, guardians, students and family members

Living Well After Cancer

This booklet is for people who have finished their initial cancer treatment or are on maintenance therapies to try to prevent the cancer coming back

Cancer Support Groups

This book is for community members and health professionals who are interested in setting up and leading a cancer support group

Cancer Treatment

Your treatment will depend on the type of cancer you have. Your medical team will recommend treatment based on what will give you the best outcome, where the cancer is, whether and how the cancer has spread, your general health, and your preferences.

Understanding Radiation Therapy

This booklet will help you understand more about radiation therapy, one of the main treatments for cancer. Radiation therapy is also known as radiotherapy. Radiation therapy uses a controlled dose of radiation to kill cancer cells or damage them so they cannot grow, multiple or spread.

Radiotherapy

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explain Radiation Therapy. Radiotherapy or Radiation Therapy is a common way to treat cancer.

Chemotherapy

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explain Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a common way to treat cancer, and works on your whole body by travelling through your body to kill the cancer.

Understanding Surgery

This booklet will help you understand more about surgery, one of the main treatments for cancer. Surgery is a procedure to remove cancer from the body or repair a part of the body affected by cancer. It's sometimes called an operation or surgical resection, and is performed by a surgeon

Understanding Breast Prostheses and Reconstruction

This booklet is for women who have had, or are considering, a partial or complete removal or one or both breasts (mastectomy). The surgery may have been because of cancer or to prevent cancer

Understanding Clinical Trials and Research

This booklet will help you understand more about clinical research, with a focus on clinical trials. It provides an overview of different types of health research and outlines how to get involved in a clinical trial

Understanding Immunotherapy

This fact sheet will help you understand more about checkpoint immunotherapy, a treatment offered to some people with cancer. Immunotherapy is a type of drug that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer.

Understanding Targeted Therapy

This fact sheet will help you understand more about targeted therapy, a treatment offered to some people with cancer. This is a type of drug that attacks specific features of cancer cells, known as molecular targets, to stop cancer growing and spreading.

Understanding Complementary Therapies

This booklet will help you understand more about complementary therapies which are used in combination with conventional cancer treatment

Understanding Chemotherapy

This booklet will help you understand more about chemotherapy, one of the main treatments for cancer. Chemotherapy treats cancer using a range of drugs. Chemotherapy (sometimes just called chemo) is the use of drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells.

Side Effects

Treatment side effects vary depending on the type of cancer you have, the stage of the cancer, and the type of treatment you are given. The changes can be both physical and emotional.

Hair Loss

This factsheet provides information on hair loss that may result as a side effect of cancer treatment. Any treatment which acts on rapidly dividing cancer cells can also affect other rapidly dividing cells such as hair follicles

Understanding Lymphoedema

This factsheet will help you understand more about secondary lymphoedema, a possible side effect of cancer treatments. Lymphoedema is the swelling that develops when lymph fluid builds up in the tissues under the skin or sometimes deeper in the abdomen and chest areas.

Fatigue and Cancer

This fact sheet will help you understand more about fatigue, a common side effect of cancer and cancer treatments. Fatigue is when you feel very tired, weak, drained or worn out

Understanding Taste and Smell Changes

This fact sheet will help you understand more about the possible effects of cancer treatments on your experience of eating. Some treatments can change the taste and smell of your food, or the feeling of food in your mouth

Mouth Health and Cancer Treatment

This fact sheet will help you understand the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery that affect the mouth area

Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy

This fact sheet will help you understand more about the nerve condition known as peripheral neuropathy, which sometimes happens as a result of cancer or cancer treatment

Understanding Changes in Thinking and Memory

This fact sheet will help you understand more about changes to your memory and the way you think that you may experience as a result of cancer treatment. It provides suggestions about how to manage your day-to-day tasks and improve thinking and memory

Coping with Cancer

Most people will experience strong emotions after a cancer diagnosis, not only when they first hear that it’s cancer, but also at various times during or after treatment. You may have many questions about your emotions or pain. Or you may be a partner or a carer who has some questions.

Cancer Counselling Service

Overcoming Cancer Pain

This booklet will help you understand more about cancer pain

Understanding Your Reactions

This fact sheet will help you understand more about your reactions to a cancer diagnosis

A Guide to Relaxation

This booklet is for people who want to introduce relaxation into their lives

Learning to Relax

These audio files are designed to help you learn relaxation techniques that may reduce the effects of stress associated with cancer

Caring for Someone with Cancer

This booklet is for people who are looking after someone with cancer

Partners Guide to Coping with Cancer

This booklet is for partners of someone with cancer

Understanding Grief

This booklet will help you understand more about grief when someone close to you has died from cancer

Emotions and Cancer

This booklet will help you understand more about the emotional impact of cancer

Coping Strategies for dealing with uncertainty

These are strategies you can use to take care of your emotional health and increase your ability to cope

List of activities for distraction

Things you can do to keep you distracted during COVID-19

Coping with Hair Loss

Hair loss can be a side effect of some cancer treatments.

Wig and Turban Service

We offer a private wig and turban fitting with a range of wigs and headwear to choose from

Hair Loss

Synthetic Wig Care

How to care for your synthetic wig

Techniques to Tie Scarves

Tips for tying and wearing scarves

Turban Pattern - Pleated and Gathered Turban

Sewing pattern to make your own pleated and gathered turban

Turban Pattern - Pleated and Tucked Turban

Sewing pattern to make your own pleated and tucked turban

Turban Pattern - Tucked Turban 3 Tuck

Sewing pattern to make your own Tucked Turban with 3 tucks

Turban Pattern - Tucked Turban 6 Tuck

Sewing pattern to make your own Tucked Turban with 6 tucks

Turban Pattern - Turban Wrap

Sewing pattern to make your own turban wrap

Support for Children

Explaining a diagnosis of cancer to children or teenagers can feel difficult and overwhelming. Here are some resources to help get the conversation started.

Talking to Kids about Cancer

Explaining a diagnosis of cancer to children or teenagers can feel difficult and overwhelming. This book is designed as a starting point for having this conversation

Cancer in the School Community

What about Me? For Children when a Parent has Cancer

This booklet is for your children, either for them to read alone or with you. It provides factual information and explores possible feelings and concerns your children may have

What is Happening to My Mummy?

This colour-in story book is to help young children with a mother who has cancer understand cancer and its treatments

Cancer and Work

Compensation and Work Related cancers

If your work has caused or contributed to your cancer diagnosis, you may be able to claim compensation. This fact sheet answers some common questions about compensation and work related cancer

Legal, Financial and Work Issues

The Cancer Council Pro Bono Program can help you if you or someone in your family has cancer, and you need legal, financial or workplace advice

Employment and Cancer

This fact sheet answers some common questions people have about their rights at work. It explains the law that applies to most employees in Australia

Cancer, Work and You

Cancer and its treatment can affect many aspects of a person's life. This booklet can help you manage your working life after diagnosis

Legal and Financial Issues

Employment and Cancer

This fact sheet answers some common questions people have about their rights at work. It explains the law that applies to most employees in Australia

Superannuation and Cancer

This fact sheet provides information about your super if you are affected by cancer

Dealing with Debts

A cancer diagnosis can cause financial difficulty. This fact sheet provides information for people who are having trouble paying their debts

Help with Bills

Electricity, gas, water and phone bills can cause financial difficulty. This fact sheet explains options to help you pay your utility bills

New Insurance Policies

This fact sheet explains the law in relation to getting insurances. It sets out your rights and responsibilities when you apply for an insurance policy, and when you can lawfully be refused insurance

Understanding Family Law

This fact sheet covers family law specific to people who are unwell, including with cancer

Getting Your Affairs in Order

This fact sheet explains the key issues involved in getting your affairs in order

What Happens to Debts after Death

This fact sheet explains what happens to debts after a person dies

Your Role as Executor

If you have been named as the executor of a will, you will need to carry out the terms of a will. This fact sheet gives information about this

Legal, Financial and Work Issues

The Cancer Council Pro Bono Program can help you if you or someone in your family has cancer, and you need legal, financial or workplace advice

Cancer and Your Finances

This booklet can help you manage your finances after a cancer diagnosis

Cancer in the Workplace

Guides for managers and human resource professionals

Talking to your Employee about Cancer

This fact sheet provides some suggestions about how to approach your first conversation with an employee about their cancer

Managing the Effects of Treatment - Workplace Series

This fact sheet provides an introduction to the most common types of cancer treatment and their side effects. It has information about possible effects of treatment on an employees ability to work, and some strategies for managing these effects in the workplace

Supporting a Colleague with Cancer - Workplace Series

This fact sheet provides information to help co-workers who wish to be supportive of someone with cancer, but are unsure about what to say or do

Supporting a Working Carer - Workplace Series

This fact sheet provides some suggestions about how to help your employees manage working and caring

Death and Bereavement - Workplace series

This fact sheet provides a starting point for managers and human resource professionals who are dealing with death and bereavement in their teams

Cancer in the Workplace - Workplace series

Support is available from a wide range of organisations, Cancer Council offers a range of free support services for people with cancer and their family, friends and colleagues

Cancer: An overview - Workplace series

This fact sheet provides information an overview of cancer for managers and human resource professionals

Advanced Cancer

Advanced cancer is the term used to describe cancer that is unlikely to be cured. It may be primary or secondary cancer.

Living with Advanced Cancer

Advanced cancer is when the cancer has spread from the original site or has come back. This booklet offers general information about advanced cancer, what it is, how it is treated, what might happen and what support is available

Facing End of Life

This booklet provides information to help you understand more about the issues facing people who are dying with cancer, and covers the emotional impact of knowing you are dying, what might happen physically, and how you can prepare for death

Understanding Palliative Care

This booklet will help you understand more about palliative care (also called supportive care) for people affected by advanced cancer

Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

This information is written for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It gives information about some cancer types, treatment, and some tips on coping with the practical issues that cancer can cause.

What is Cancer?

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people explaining what cancer is.

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

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Leukaemia

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people explaining what Leukaemia is. Leukeamia is a problem with how white blood cells are made

Radiotherapy

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explain Radiation Therapy. Radiotherapy or Radiation Therapy is a common way to treat cancer.

Chemotherapy

Surgery

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explain Surgery. Surgery is a common way to remove some cancers, but not all cancers are removed with surgery

Bowel Cancer

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people explaining what bowel cancer is

Head and Neck Cancers

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people explaining what head and neck cancer is

Lung Cancer

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explain what lung cancer is

Lymphoma

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explain what is lymphoma and how will I know if I have it? If lymphoma cancer is found and treated early, you have a good chance of getting better.

Prostate Cancer

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men explaining what prostate cancer is

What Men Should Know about Cancer

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men about the types of cancer men can get, and learning to identify the early signs of cancer to cut down the risk of getting cancer

Breast Cancer

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people explaining what breast cancer is

Cervical Cancer

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women explaining what Cervical cancer is

Cancer of the Uterus

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women explaining what Cancer of the Uterus is

How Can I Help?

A fact sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Finding out a family member or friend has cancer is no good, but there are many ways to show your concern or offer support

Help Getting to Treatment?

Having treatment for cancer often means a lot of travel to and from a hospital or treatment facility, which may be far from home. This fact sheet gives tips for getting to and from treatment using your own car or using community transport

Help with Money?

This fact sheet gives tips for help with money problems because cancer can affect your life in many ways, and can mean you have less money

Information in Other Languages

On the Road to Recovery - Cantonese

This booklet, written in Cantonese, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - Mandarin

This booklet, written in Mandarin, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - Greek

This booklet, written in Greek, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - Arabic

This booklet, written in Arabic, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - Vietnamese

This booklet, written in Vietnamese, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - Italian

This booklet, written in Italian, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - Hindi

This booklet, written in Hindi, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - Tagalog

This booklet, written in Tagalog, is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

On the Road to Recovery - English

This booklet is for people who have finished treatment for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy

What to Expect Guides

A lot can happen in a hurry when you’re diagnosed with cancer. The guides below can help you make sense of what should happen. They will help you with what questions to ask your health professionals to make sure you receive the best care at every step.

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

What to Expect guide

Learn about the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway

These guides are also available in Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Greek, Italian, Hindi and Tagalog. Scroll to the bottom of the guide for the cancer you are interested in to find the other language versions.

On this page you will find information on:

Cancer Council Queensland Support Services

Cancer Counselling Service

Wig and Turban Service

Cancer Support and Information

Legal, Financial or Work Issue?

13 11 20 Information and Support line

Types of Cancer

Understanding Anal Cancer

Understanding Bladder Cancer

Understanding Bowel Cancer

Understanding Brain Tumours

Understanding Breast Cancer

Understanding Cancer of Unknown Primary

Understanding Cancer of the Uterus

Understanding Cervical Cancer

Understanding Head and Neck Cancer

Understanding Kidney Cancer

Understanding Cancer in the Liver

Understanding Lung Cancer

Understanding Melanoma

Understanding Mesothelioma

Understanding Ovarian Cancer

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

Understanding Primary Bone Cancer

Understanding Prostate Cancer

Understanding Secondary Bone Cancer

Understanding Skin Cancer

Understanding Stomach and Oesophageal Cancer

Understanding Testicular Cancer

Understanding Thyroid Cancer

Understanding Vulvar and Vaginal Cancer

Support During and After Treatment

Cancer Support and Information

Nutrition and Cancer

Exercise for People Living with Cancer

Fertility and Cancer

Sexuality, Intimacy and Cancer

Cancer Care and Your Rights

Cancer in the School Community

Living Well After Cancer

Cancer Support Groups

Cancer Treatment

Understanding Radiation Therapy

Radiotherapy

Chemotherapy

Understanding Surgery

Understanding Breast Prostheses and Reconstruction

Understanding Clinical Trials and Research

Understanding Immunotherapy

Understanding Targeted Therapy

Understanding Complementary Therapies

Understanding Chemotherapy

Side Effects

Hair Loss

Understanding Lymphoedema

Fatigue and Cancer

Understanding Taste and Smell Changes

Mouth Health and Cancer Treatment

Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy

Understanding Changes in Thinking and Memory

Coping with Cancer

Cancer Counselling Service

Overcoming Cancer Pain

Understanding Your Reactions

A Guide to Relaxation

Learning to Relax

Caring for Someone with Cancer

Partners Guide to Coping with Cancer

Understanding Grief

Emotions and Cancer

Coping Strategies for dealing with uncertainty

List of activities for distraction

Coping with Hair Loss

Wig and Turban Service

Hair Loss

Synthetic Wig Care

Techniques to Tie Scarves

Turban Pattern - Pleated and Gathered Turban

Turban Pattern - Pleated and Tucked Turban