Often times there is a lot of education, support and resources available to a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient. She may meet with a nurse navigator, an NP involves in her surgical management, the surgical oncologist who will be operating on her, the OR scheduler, the appointment scheduling coordinator, and perhaps even other people involved in the first phase of her treatment plan. It's not unusual however for the nurse navigator's role and involvement to taper off after the surgical treatment and post op recovery period has been reached. The patient then moves onto chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but without the lifeline she had become attached to during her early days of diagnosis and treatment-you.
