Many breast cancer clinics are increasing access to a shorter and less invasive form of radiotherapy, in what advocates say is a silver lining of the coronavirus pandemic.
The CEO of Breast Cancer Network Australia, Kirsten Pilatti, said the need to minimise face-to-face care meant the technique, called hypofractionated radiation, was being offered to many more Australians than before.
"Studies have shown that some patients can have a good outcome with this shorter course of higher-dose radiation treatment," she said.
"The big bonus is less time in treatment, by days and sometimes weeks, and fewer side effects with the same long-term health outcomes."
Ms Pilatti said combined with the millions of dollars the Federal Government had funnelled into online telehealth delivery, regional patients in particular were noticing improvements to the way their care was delivered.
'It saves me at least two hours'
Personal trainer Jacquie Dolbel was diagnosed with breast cancer in January, just as the coronavirus was beginning to attract national attention.
Ms Dolbel lives in Cowra, 90 minutes from the nearest major hospital in Orange.
She said although she initially felt trepidation about attending medical appointments online, it had its benefits.
"Effectively, it saves me at least two hours of travel plus my appointment time," she said.
It meant Ms Dolbel was able to keep some semblance of an income throughout her treatment.
"I could have spent the day at work and blocked the 20 minutes out for my appointment, as opposed to close to three hours including travel."
Although the coronavirus closed group fitness classes and gyms, Ms Dolbel was able to continue working by holding sessions online.
"A lot of my clients, myself included, are learning to use Zoom," she said.
'I wanted to give her a hug'
Ms Dolbel's McGrath Foundation breast care nurse, Sue Kuter, said the transition to online consultations had been more difficult for many older patients.
"They're on speaker phone or they're holding the phone and trying to hear what the doctor is saying and so forth, so for some people it's really an uncomfortable process," Ms Kuter said.
She also said physical distancing had made the job of emotionally support patients through their cancer journey harder.
"I had a lady the other day who was told she couldn't have any more treatment.
"I wanted to give her a hug, because she'd been my patient for so long.
"And so I hugged her, and she said, 'Oh, you're not supposed to really hug me', and I went, 'Well, I need to'."
"So, it's not really easy."
