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About Cancer First Call

Understanding and coping with a new cancer diagnosis, or a cancer recurrence, can be frightening and overwhelming. Cancer First Call was created to help individuals understand their diagnosis, its implications, and how to approach and navigate their situation. Cancer First Call allows an individual to speak directly with an oncologist physician cancer navigator about their specific cancer.

CancerConnect Community490 General

CancerConnect Support Community

Simply schedule a call and Cancer First Call will contact you and provide the following;

  • Explain your cancer diagnosis
  • Tell you how to think about your cancer diagnosis
  • Provide you with key questions to discuss with your doctor
  • Explain the role of a second opinion and where to get one
  • Help you understand the role of clinical trials and whether they should be considered for your situation
  • Provide you with access to trial results related to your doctor’s treatment recommendations

You will also receive:

  • A monthly cancer newsletter for your cancer type.
  • Membership in the Cancer Connect social community with thousands of other cancer patients being treated at leading cancer centers in the US for ongoing support and information.

How does Cancer First Call work?

Ever wonder how your primary care doctor thinks about cancer when one of his or her own family members is first diagnosed? Your doctor’s first step is to make a phone call to a cancer professional to determine what he or she needs to know in order to get the best treatment for their family member. Their “first call” is to an expert in the field.

Cancer First Call which allows you to talk to an oncologist before or after your appointment. It's the first-of-its-kind, personalized advocacy program where oncologists help patients directly.

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Cancer First Call is your advocate, not your hospital or insurance companies advocate.

To Access Cancer First Call:

  • Schedule your telephone consultation by completing our simple on-line registration form
  • Cancer First Call will reach out to confirm a time for the call
  • An oncologist from Cancer First Call will call you at the scheduled time.​
General PMF Newsletter 490

CancerConnect Newsletter

What does Cancer First Call cost?

Cancer First Call is free and provided as a service by the Personalized Medicine Foundation. Donations are accepted to support the service but not required.

Connect With Others for Support and information

CancerConnect was the first social network created for people with cancer. Founded by oncologists to support cancer patients and their caregivers, over 40 million individuals have accessed CancerConnect programs since 1997. CancerConnect is used by leading cancer centers like Dana Farber, Roswell Park and The James at Ohio State to support their patients. Join the conversation, ask questions, share your experience, and learn how the best cancer centers are treating cancer from others. Share your experience, ask a question, or start a conversation by posting on CancerConnect.