The Cancer Services Framework for Victoria recommends that improvement of cancer services be driven through locally developed collaborating groups formed around ten major tumour streams. Tumour streams are a way of grouping cancer types according to the location of the cancer.

The ten tumour streams are:

• Breast (breast cancer),
• Central nervous system (malignant glioma and cerebral metastases),
• Colorectal (colon and rectal cancer),
• Genito-urinary (prostate and testicular cancer),
• Gynaecological (ovarian cancer),
• Haematological (acute myeloid leukaemia and intermediate grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma),
• Head and neck (larynx, pharynx and oral cancer),
• Lung (non-small cell lung cancer),
• Skin (melanoma cancer), and
• Upper gastro-intestinal (pancreatic and oesophagogastric cancer).

These tumour types collectively account for more than 90 per cent of all cancers in Victoria.

Loddon Mallee's priority tumour streams

In the Loddon Mallee Region four tumour streams have been prioritised based on incidence and prevalence in the region:

• Breast - breast cancer;
• Colorectal - colon and rectal cancer,
• Genito-urinary - prostate cancer, and
• Lung - non-small cell lung cancer.

In addition, the skin tumour stream (melanoma cancer) has been identified as a priority in the Mildura region.