About Us

  1. About ANZSA
  2. Board and CEO
  3. Consumer Advisory Panel
  4. Strategic Plan
  5. Recognition and Awards Program
The Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission ABN 73 132 759 525
Registered Charity

About ANZSA

The Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA) is the peak body for the sarcoma community. ANZSA aims to improve outcomes for sarcoma patients through research, education and awareness of sarcomas and related tumours.

ANZSA fosters effective collaborations across multi-disciplinary teams (MDT), which comprise of specialist health professionals (including pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and paediatric oncologists) working together to discuss sarcoma and related tumours cases, and how to best manage treatment and care.

Through the work it does, ANZSA also plays an important educational role for professionals and the community alike; raising much-needed awareness for sarcoma and related tumours among the general public.

ANZSA's operations are funded by Cancer Australia. As a result, 100%* of the donations it receives are dedicated to high-quality sarcoma research and clinical trials to save and improve lives. Find out more about the research projects or how you can contribute.

Purpose

Improving outcomes for sarcoma patients.

Vision

To improve early diagnosis, treatment options, outcomes and quality of life of patients with sarcomas and related tumours through outstanding national and international, basic, translational, clinical and supportive care research and clinical trials operating to benchmarked best practice.

To be leaders in education and advocacy for sarcoma patients and professionals.

History

In 1998, a group of surgeons with shared interests in sarcoma established the Australia Sarcoma Group (ASG).

The Australasian Sarcoma Study Group (ASSG) was formed in 2008 as a national Cooperative Cancer Clinical Research Group with the funding from Cancer Australia and the patronage from the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia.

Since then, both organisations have worked to provide best-practice care for sarcoma patients.  Sarcoma clinical practice is informed by basic and clinical research. Research activities with international partnerships and with other major treatment and research centres are imperative to ensure best practice and that our patients have access to cutting-edge therapies.

In 2013, the ASSG in partnership with Cancer Council Australia published the first Australian clinical practice guidelines for the management of adult-onset sarcoma. This was a milestone project as the guidelines provide an invaluable source for clinicians when treating sarcoma. Further work by the ASSG includes a framework to educate the sarcoma community about specialist pathways, highlighting the need for inter-group collaborations, and identifying gaps for future sarcoma research.

At the end of 2018, ASG and ASSG formally merged to form the Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA) to continue this mission.