The Cancer Services Framework for Victoria (2003) recommended that improvement of cancer services be driven through locally developed collaborating groups formed around 10 tumour streams. These streams of common cancer types collectively account for more than 90 per cent of the total cancer incidence in Victoria.

At NEMICS, each tumour stream is represented by a local collaborating Tumour Group comprising health professionals and consumers. The purpose of these groups is to plan and facilitate integration and coordination of cancer services in the NEMICS region.

Current Tumour Groups that operate at NEMICS are formed around the following common cancers:

• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Gynaecological cancers
• Haematological malignancies, encompassing lymphomas, leukaemia, and myeloma
• Genito-urinary cancers, including cancers of the prostate, bladder, kidney, and testis
• Lung cancer
• Skin cancers, notably melanoma
• Head and neck cancers
• Upper gastro-intestinal cancers, encompassing cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, and hepato-biliary system.
• Central nervous system tumours