title: Oncology service initiatives and research in regional Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper reflects on the recent growth of cancer research being conducted through some of Australia's rural centres. It encompasses work being done across the fields of clinical, translational and health services research.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a collaborative piece with contributions from rural health researchers, clinical and cancer services staff from several different regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The past decade has seen an expansion in cancer research in rural and regional Australia driven in part by the recognition that cancer patients in remote areas experience poorer outcomes than their metropolitan counterparts. This work has led to the development of more effective cancer networks and new models of care designed to meet the particular needs of the rural cancer patient. It is hoped that the growth of cancer research in regional centres will, in time, reduce the disparity between rural and urban communities and improve outcomes for cancer patients across both populations.
authors.affiliation: Austin Health, Melbourne, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Sabe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabesan
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steer
authors.forename: Patsy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yates
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Booms
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Kerrie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eek
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Packer
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tuthill
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyce
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Underhill
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D010166:Palliative Care; D019035:Rural Health Services; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
keywords: rural medicine; rural oncology; rural palliative care; rural service planning; rural workforce