Central Maine Healthcare

Where You are the Center

About Us: Cancer Care

Gynecological Cancer

If you’re concerned you may have gynecologic cancer, Central Maine Healthcare is here for you.

About Gynecologic Cancer

Gynecologic cancer refers to cancer of the female reproductive system. It includes, but is not limited to:

Cervical cancer starts in the cervix: the lower part of the uterus. This organ has two parts and is covered in two different types of cells; cancer begins when these cells mutate and grow out of control.  Changes in the cells can be detected by an annual Pap test and treated before they form cancerous tumors.

Uterine cancer is rare and occurs in the muscle and supporting tissue of the uterus, which is also called the womb.  It can sometimes be detected by an annual Pap test, but is usually diagnosed after surgery has been performed to remove what is thought to be benign tumors on the uterus.

Ovarian cancer can grow in either or both ovaries, the organs that produce the eggs that travel through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. It ranks fifth in cancer deaths for women, but diagnoses have been steadily falling for 20 years.  Half of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are over the age of 63.

Prevention

As with all cancers, the best way to reduce your risk is to adopt a healthy lifestyle:

  • Ensure your diet is rich in vegetables and fruit
  • Exercise regularly
  • Stop using tobacco and avoid alcohol
  • Know your body and report any changes to your provider

Also discuss with your provider whether the HPV vaccine is recommended for you. This protects you from human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical and other genital cancers.

Detection and Diagnosis

The best early detection tool for cervical cancers is the Pap test. That’s why it’s so important to see your provider annually for testing, especially if you have previous history of cysts or benign growths.

There are no screening tests for other gynecologic cancers so it’s important to be aware of the warning signs. The most common warning sign is abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge. Also talk to your provider if you find yourself feeling full too quickly when eating; are experiencing pelvic pressure or pain; have a need to urinate more urgently or frequently; notice changes in the skin around the vagina that may include itching, burning or pain; are experiencing abdominal bloating.

Medical Therapy

Fighting cancer is a big job but with Central Maine Healthcare on your side, you have access to the most effective weapons. Of these is medical therapy, which uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, often together with surgery and/or radiation therapy.

Full Range of Cancer-Fighting Treatments

We offer the latest medications, which maximize the effectiveness of treatment while minimizing the unpleasant side effects. Our board-certified medical oncologists and specially certified nurses will work closely with you and your cancer care team to carefully plan and monitor each treatment. Throughout every phase of care, we’ll also be right by your side to help you feel well and maintain as much as your normal routine as possible.

Depending on your unique needs, your medical therapy plan may include one or a combination of:

  • Chemotherapy: Used to kill cancer cells with medicines delivered in varied cycles through either an injection or a pill. It may be used to shrink a tumor before surgery, to kill cancer cells that remain in the body after surgery or radiation or to treat tumors that have developed in other areas. It can also help alleviate cancer-related symptoms.
  • Immunotherapy: Uses the body’s natural defense system to fight cancer cells. Immunotherapy drugs work by making hidden cancer calls visible to the immune system, allowing white blood cells to fight and kill the cancer.
  • Targeted therapy: Helps stop cancer from growing and spreading by targeting specific genes or proteins found in cancer cells or blood vessel cells.
  • Hormone therapy: Slows or stops the growth of cancer cells that uses hormones to grow, usually in breast and prostate cancers.

Cancer Care Excellence in Central Maine

Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center provides medical therapy through Hematology-Oncology Associates practice, which has offices in Lewiston, Bridgton, Rumford and Brunswick.

The practice is certified with the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI)™.

Comfort and Compassionate Care

You’ll receive intravenous medical therapy at our state-of-the art infusion center at Hematology-Oncology Associates in Lewiston. The center is designed for healing and comfort, an open space with bright windows and plenty of sunlight.

Support through Treatment and Beyond

We offer a full range of cancer support services to help deal with any and all treatment challenges. That includes one-on-one counseling with a registered dietitian to ensure good nutrition and manage any nausea or changes in appetite. We also have a chaplain for spiritual care, ongoing support groups and much more.

Treatments and Therapies

Personalized Treatment Plans

Your treatment plan will take into consideration your specific type of cancer, your age, current overall health and personal preferences. Our dedicated cancer care team is led by some of the region’s leading oncologists, known as much for their compassionate care as their skill in fighting cancer. These specialists work in close partnership with surgeons, oncology-certified nurses, pharmacists, social workers and other experts to create a fully personalized plan.

Surgery

For some types of cancer, surgery is the best treatment. Whenever possible, our board-certified surgeons use minimally invasive techniques which require fewer and smaller incisions for less pain, fewer complications and faster recovery. This system also helps your surgeon by providing a clearer view of your cancer and the precision and control to remove as much of the disease as possible.

Medical/Chemotherapy, Biological Therapy, Immunotherapy, Targeted Therapy

The Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center offers the latest and most effective medical therapies, in healing settings designed to feel like home. In addition to chemotherapy, newer options include immunotherapy, which trains the body’s immune system to fight and kill cancer. At CMCCC, we are bringing these medical therapies to rural populations in a more convenient location. The Oncology Suite there offers a special environment for patients to receive chemotherapy and other infusion treatments from trained oncology nurses in privacy and comfort.

Radiation Therapy

More than half of all cancer patients will require radiation therapy during their treatment programs. We offer some of the most advanced technology available, including image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which delivers highly powerful and precise radiation to the tumor, while preserving surrounding healthy tissue. Other therapies available include external beam radiation therapy; prostate Brachytherapy (radioactive seed implants); and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for precise treatments of several types of cancer.

Clinical Trials

The Cancer Center at Central Maine Medical Center is active in cancer research: Cancer research is a dynamic field that continues to find effective and life-saving treatments for cancer patients. The Cancer Center at Central Maine Medical Center stays current with research through its clinical research coordinators, who monitor the latest developments in this field. Our research coordinators also work with patients and providers to find the safest and best treatments available. The CMCCC also records and tracks all cancer cases diagnosed and treated here. This information is shared with other cancer researchers.

Infusion Suites at the Cancer Care Center

The infusion suites at the Cancer Care Center are where patients receive medical therapies to treat cancer and other diseases. These therapies are delivered intravenously to target cancer cells either before or after surgery. At Central Maine Healthcare, our infusion suites are designed to provide the most comfortable and calming setting for our patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The Suites are designed with natural light, private entertainment screens, comfortable seating and, most importantly, the dedicated attention of our nursing team with a large nursing station located within the same room. The Cancer Care Center offers the latest medications which maximize the effectiveness of treatment while minimizing the unpleasant side effects. Our board-certified medical oncologists and specially certified nurses will work closely with you and your cancer care team to carefully plan and monitor each treatment. Throughout every phase of care, we’ll also be right by your side to help you feel well and maintain as much of your normal routine as possible.

Full Range of Cancer-Fighting Treatments

Chemotherapy: Used to kill cancer cells with medicines delivered in varied cycles through either an IV or a pill. It may be used to shrink a tumor before surgery, to kill cancer cells that remain in the body after surgery or radiation or to treat tumors that have developed in other areas. It can also help alleviate cancer-related symptoms.

Immunotherapy: Uses the body’s natural defense system to fight cancer cells. Immunotherapy drugs work by making hidden cancer calls visible to the immune system, allowing white blood cells to fight and kill the cancer.

Targeted therapy: Helps stop cancer from growing and spreading by targeting specific genes or proteins found in cancer cells or blood vessel cells.

Hormone therapy: Slows or stops the growth of cancer cells that uses hormones to grow, usually in breast and prostate cancers.

Inpatient Unit

Central Maine Medical Center’s (CMMC) Inpatient Oncology Unit is designed to keep you and your family as comfortable as possible. You’ll be cared for by a multidisciplinary care team, specially trained to treat and support people with cancer.

A Place to Heal: Cancer treatments often weaken your immune system. CMMC’s Inpatient Oncology Unit is designed to keep you as safe as possible from infection. And for patients who have undergone complicated surgeries, the inpatient unit ensures close follow-up during the important post-operation phase of treatment.

Focused Care in a Compassionate Environment: The Cancer Care Center caregivers treat each patient based on their specific needs and the requirements of their particular cancer. In all aspects of this care, we encourage patient and family participation and work to support your physical, psychological and spiritual well-being.

Specialized for Cancer Care: In addition to certified oncology specialists, we support cancer patients with services like palliative care, counseling for patients and their loved ones, and nurse navigators to guide you through the entire process. The registered nurses on the inpatient unit have specialized training in chemotherapy administration, as well as symptom management and palliative care.

Comfortable Facilities: The inpatient unit has private rooms for patients designed to help you feel at home. A unique feature of the unit is a spacious solarium that provides a cheerful place for patients and families to enjoy the sense of being outdoors, while remaining near medical resources.

Skin Cancer

Screening for Skin Cancer

Each year, more than a million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the most common forms of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma — which together are known as non-melanoma skin cancers.

Fortunately, there are ways to detect most non-melanoma skin cancers early, when they are curable. Looking carefully at your skin – especially those areas that are exposed to the sun – on a regular basis is all the screening you need. For hard-to-see areas, like your back, use a mirror.

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is not as common as the other two major types of skin cancer, but is much more serious. This makes early detection and treatment of the disease very important. Healthcare providers recommend knowing the pattern of moles and freckles on your body so that you’ll notice any changes.

If you have a personal or family history of skin cancer, including melanoma, or have noticed anything new or unusual during your self-exam, Central Maine Healthcare’s primary care providers are here to help. We offer comprehensive exams to assess any concerns or changes in your skin, and can refer you directly to a dermatologist, if needed.

Diagnosing Skin Cancer

After examining your skin, your doctor may remove a small sample of tissue (skin biopsy) from any suspicious areas. You may also have imaging tests to examine nearby lymph nodes or an in-office procedure to remove a lymph node and test it for signs of cancer (sentinel lymph node biopsy).

If skin cancer is diagnosed, our specialists will use advanced CT scans or other X-ray tests to determine the extent of the cancer. We use Roman numerals I through IV to indicate a cancer’s stage. Stage I cancers are small and limited to the area where they began. Stage IV indicates advanced cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.

Based on the stage of the cancer, your provider will work closely with our cancer specialists and you to create a personalized treatment plan.

Screening and Diagnosis

If you’re worried you may have skin cancer, we understand you want a diagnosis as soon as possible. At Central Maine Healthcare, our primary care providers will see you quickly, answer all your questions and strive to get you a fast and accurate diagnosis.

Screening for Skin Cancer

Each year, more than a million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the most common forms of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma — which together are known as non-melanoma skin cancers.

Fortunately, there are ways to detect most non-melanoma skin cancers early, when they are curable. Looking carefully at your skin – especially those areas that are exposed to the sun – on a regular basis is all the screening you need. For hard-to-see areas, like your back, use a mirror.

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is not as common as the other two major types of skin cancer, but is much more serious. That makes early detection and treatment of the disease very important. Doctors recommend knowing the pattern of moles and freckles on your body so that you’ll notice any changes.

If you have a personal or family history of skin cancer, including melanoma, or have noticed anything new or unusual during your self-exam, Central Maine Healthcare’s primary care providers are here to help. We offer comprehensive exams to assess any concerns or changes in your skin, and can refer you directly to a dermatologist, if needed.

Diagnosing Skin Cancer

After examining your skin, your doctor may remove a small sample of tissue (skin biopsy) from any suspicious areas. You may also have imaging tests to examine nearby lymph nodes or an in-office procedure to remove a lymph node and test it for signs of cancer (sentinel lymph node biopsy).

If skin cancer is diagnosed, our specialists will use advanced CT scans or other X-ray tests to determine the extent of the cancer. We use Roman numerals I through IV to indicate a cancer’s stage. Stage I cancers are small and limited to the area where they began. Stage IV indicates advanced cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.

Based on the stage of the cancer, your provider will work closely with our cancer specialists and you to create a personalized treatment plan.

Treatment

A diagnosis of skin cancer can be unsettling. But at Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center, we offer a full range of options to treat—and beat—the disease.

Our dedicated team—including board-certified dermatologists, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists and more specialists— work closely together and with you to create a personalized treatment plan. And you have access to a full range of support services and leading cancer clinical trials, right here at home.

Surgery

Surgery may be performed to remove the tumor, as well as some surrounding tissue to help ensure the skin cancer is eliminated. Nearby lymph nodes may also be removed if the cancer has spread there.

Our plastic surgery practice offers the Mohs surgical technique, which allows doctors to precisely identify and remove an entire tumor while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue unharmed. It offers the highest cure rate among skin cancer treatments.

Radiation Therapy

Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center uses the most advanced technology available to target skin cancer with extreme precision. Treatments include intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), all which focus high-dose radiation directly on the tumor, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Medical Therapy

We offer the latest and most effective chemotherapy options, and use newer medications that help minimize the side effects of chemotherapy whenever possible.

We also offer immunotherapy—newer, FDA-approved drug therapies help your own immune system fight the cancer. This treatment may be beneficial for patients with high-risk or advanced melanoma, and used along with surgery and/or chemotherapy.

Support

Throughout your journey, you’ll find a variety of cancer support services to meet your physical, emotional, spiritual and financial needs. That includes your very own nurse navigator to coordinate all of your care, answer any questions and provide extra comfort and support every step of the way.

Prostate Cancer

If you’re one of the 1 in 6 American men diagnosed with prostate cancer, we know how concerning that can be. But at Central Maine Healthcare, you can count on the most effective treatments available to help conquer the condition and lead a longer, active life.

About Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped gland found in men just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate grow abnormally. Almost all prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, which develop from the gland cells that make the prostate fluid that is added to the semen.

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men. Prostate cancer is mostly diagnosed in men over age 65 and becomes increasingly common with advancing age. It also is more common in African-American men than in Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian-American men.

Fortunately, most prostate cancers are slow growing, easily diagnosed and highly treatable.

Prevention

While there’s no proven strategy to prevent prostate cancer, there are some ways you may help lower your risk. Start by understanding the prostate cancer risk factors that may affect you, and some simple ways you can promote your good health. If you have a family history of prostate cancer, including a father or brother with the disease, we offer complementary genetic cancer counseling to address any concerns.

Detection

Because prostate cancer often develops slowly, many men do not notice any symptoms in the early stages, when it’s easiest to treat. If you’re over 50, Central Maine Healthcare recommends annual prostate cancer screenings to help you stay on top of your health. Our urologists perform these quick and routine tests right in the office. If we find anything abnormal, we’ll also arrange all follow-up tests, including the latest in ultrasound-guided biopsy.

Treatment

If you’re diagnosed with prostate cancer, rest assured you’re in highly skilled and caring hands. Our multi-skilled team will work closely with you to create a cancer treatment plan We offer the most advanced technology available, including the Versa HD accelerator, which delivers high-dose, highly-precise radiation to kill cancer cells while preserving healthy tissue. All treatments are designed to help protect the delicate nerves that control urinary and sexual function.   

Support

Throughout your journey, you’ll find a variety of cancer support services to meet your physical, emotional, spiritual and financial needs. That includes support groups as well as your own nurse navigator to coordinate all of your care, connect you to valuable resources and answer any questions every step of the way.

Screening and Diagnosis

While there is no sure way to prevent prostate cancer, there are ways you can help lower your risk. At Central Maine Healthcare, we offer the education you need to stay on top of your health, plus dedicated prevention and early detection tools to catch the disease early.

Prostate Cancer Screening

Central Maine Healthcare encourages men ages older than 50 to get annual prostate cancer screenings, which can help catch this common condition early, when it can be closely monitored or treated. African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer should be screened sooner, typically by age 40 or 45. We offer routine screenings, including a prostate-screening antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal exam (DRE) to check the prostate for any abnormalities.

Know Your Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

About one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Researchers don’t know the exact cause of the disease, but have found certain risk factors that may contribute. Many factors are beyond your control:

  • Age: Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but the chance rises rapidly after age 50. About six in 10 cases are found in men older than 65.
  • Race: African-American men are at greater risk than Caucasian men and are twice as likely to die from the disease.
  • Nationality: Prostate cancer is most common in North America and northwestern Europe and less common in Asia, Africa, Central America and South America.
  • Family history: Having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing this disease.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do that may help lower your risk and enhance your overall health, including being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight and eating right. The American Cancer Society recommends a diet low in red meats (especially those high in fat) and high in vegetables, fruits and grains. Some studies also suggest that taking 50 mg of vitamin E daily can lower the risk of prostate cancer.

Take Control with Our Prevention and Detection Programs

If you think you may be at higher risk for prostate cancer, or just want to stay proactive, we offer comprehensive prevention and screening services at all three Central Maine Healthcare.

Genetic Cancer Counseling

About 5 to 10% of all prostate cancers diagnosed are hereditary. A man with a father or brother who has been diagnosed is twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as a man with no family history of the disease.

Recent studies have also begun to identify inherited gene changes that may increase a man’s risk for prostate cancer, though there is not current genetic testing available. But, if you have a strong family history of the disease, our genetic cancer counselors can address any concerns and help you manage your risk.

Treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you probably have questions and concerns. The good news is that the disease can often be treated successfully. At Central Maine Healthcare, we’ll answer all your questions and explain all your options.

Prostate Cancer Treatment

Treatment of prostate cancer depends on many factors, including your overall health and wellness, the stage of the cancer (early or advanced), and your personal feelings around certain treatments and possible side effects. Your cancer care team will work closely with you to determine the best plan, which may include access to cancer clinical trials, right here in Central Maine Healthcare.

Surgery

Surgery is the primary treatment for mostly younger men and many older men with early-stage prostate cancer. The most common procedure is called radical prostatectomy, which removes the prostate gland and nearby lymph nodes.

The prostate is close to the urethra and genitals, which makes this procedure complicated. Your surgeon will work to avoid damage that can cause urinary or sexual problems.

Radiation Therapy

Central Maine Healthcare uses the most advanced radiation technology available to treat prostate cancer with extreme precision, while avoiding normal, healthy tissue. Options include:

  • External beam radiation therapy (EBRT): In EBRT, beams of radiation are focused on the prostate gland from a machine outside the body called a linear accelerator. Because the prostate is close to other critical body structures, a clear view of the prostate during radiation therapy is critical to avoid side effects such as incontinence and impotence. Our radiologists use an advanced accelerator to plan and deliver high-dose radiation with unmatched precision. The result is faster, more effective treatments that minimize the impact on your quality of life.
  • Internal radiation therapy: Also called HD brachytherapy, this minor outpatient procedure involves implanting tiny radioactive seeds close to the prostate tumor. These seeds, about the size of a grain of rice, remain in place and give off radiation to the tumor site for weeks or months. Brachytherapy alone is generally used only in men with early-stage prostate cancer that is relatively slow growing. It often offers a variety of advantages, including minimal risk of urinary incontinence and sexual problems, and a quicker return to regular activities.

Medical Therapies

As part of our whole-body medical oncology program, we offer the latest and most effective chemotherapy options. Chemotherapy is not a standard treatment for early prostate cancer, but it may be used if the cancer has spread outside the prostate. Recent studies have shown that newer chemo drugs can help men live a longer and higher quality of life.

We also offer hormone therapy, which works by reducing the body’s level of male hormones, called androgens, which prostate cancer cells need to grow. This treatment uses medications that inhibit the body’s hormone production, or by surgically removing the testicles.

Hormone therapy may be used before radiation to try to shrink the cancer to make treatment more effective, after surgery or radiation if the cancer returns or if you can’t have traditional treatments for specific reasons.

Cryotherapy

Also called cryosurgery or cryoablation, this technique uses very cold temperatures to freeze and kill prostate cancer cells. Cryotherapy is sometimes used to treat early-stage prostate cancer, or as an option if the cancer has returned after radiation therapy. During the procedure, an ultra-thin probe is inserted into the prostate gland, then infuses freezing liquid to destroy cancerous areas. By using ultrasound as a guide, your surgeon can limit damage to healthy tissue.

Active Surveillance

If your prostate cancer is small, not expected to grow quickly and isn’t causing any symptoms, your doctor may recommend an approach called active surveillance, or watchful waiting. This means that instead of treatment (and potential side effects), the cancer will be monitored closely, with prostate cancer screenings and other tests done every few months. If your results change, or you start to experience symptoms, you may then begin a treatment plan.

Active surveillance is often recommended for men who may not need treatment for prostate cancer, or for older men who have other serious health problems. Men who are young and healthy are less likely to be offered this approach, out of concern that the cancer might become a problem over the next 20 or 30 years.

Pancreatic Cancer

Your pancreas is an organ behind your stomach. It produces chemicals that help you digest your food. Pancreatic cancer happens when cells in the pancreas grow out of control. This cancer is usually difficult to detect until it has spread, making it hard to treat.

Prevention

Providers don’t understand pancreatic cancer well enough to identify ways to prevent it. But there are a few things you can do to reduce your risk. Quitting tobacco is one of the most important things you can do. Talk to your provider about how to quit for good and call the Maine Tobacco Helpline at 1.800.207.1230 for extra support. Maintaining a healthy weight is also important. Also avoid exposure to harmful chemicals at work, especially if you work in the dry cleaning or metal-working industries.

Detection & Diagnosis

People usually have no symptoms of pancreatic cancer until it has already spread to other organs. That’s why it’s important to be aware of risk factors that may indicate you’re at a high risk for the disease. If you are at high risk, talk to your provider about how to recognize signs and symptoms of the disease. These may include loss of appetite or unintended weight loss, pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to your back, yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (also known as jaundice), depression, new-onset diabetes, blood clots, and fatigue.

Treatment

Our cancer care team will discuss the treatment options that will work best for you, depending on the stage of your cancer, your overall health and personal preferences. Typical pancreatic cancer treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these three. In some cases these are combined to attempt to cure the cancer and/or to relieve pain or other symptoms of the disease.

Support

Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center offers a variety of support services to help you on your journey to better health. Our nurse navigators are dedicated to guiding you to resources that will support you and your family, including oncology social workers who can direct you to a variety of counseling services, from nutritional to financial.

Screening and Diagnosis

If you’re worried you may have pancreatic cancer, we understand you want answers quickly. At Central Maine Healthcare, we can answer all your questions and will work to provide an accurate diagnosis as quickly as possible.

Screening for Pancreatic Cancer

A screening test is used to find cancer before it produces any symptoms. Pancreatic cancer is one of many cancers for which there are no recommended tests that will detect this cancer early in those who are at average risk for the disease.

If you are at high risk for the disease your provider may recommend an endoscopic ultrasound, which uses a thin, flexible tube (called an endoscope) to insert a small ultrasound probe into your digestive tract. Providers use the ultrasound to look for any evidence of cancer. If they find a tumor, a needle can be inserted in the endoscope to take a sample which can be further examined.

Risk Factors for Pancreatic Cancer

A risk factor is anything that increases your risk for a disease. In pancreatic cancer there are a few risk factors you can control: not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting exposure to workplace chemicals in the dry cleaning and metal-working industries.

There are more factors you can’t change, but you should be aware of them so you can tell your provider. These include:

Family history of pancreatic cancer
African American descent
Over the age of 45
Diagnosed with diabetes
History of chronic pancreatitis		Cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver
Genetic syndrome
Stomach problems such as ulcers or excess stomach acid

Diagnosing Pancreatic Cancer

If your provider suspects you may have pancreatic cancer, they will start by doing a physical exam and getting your medical history. Depending on what they find, they will order one or more of the following tests:

Imaging Tests: X-rays, sound waves, radioactive substances or magnetic fields create images of the inside of your abdomen. An endoscopic ultrasound is commonly used.

Biopsy: This procedure involves removing a small bit of tissue to examine under a microscope. In some cases, your provider may use a needle inserted through the skin to the pancreas to remove the tissue. Other times, they will get a sample during an endoscopic ultrasound.

Blood Test: To diagnose your condition, your provider may draw blood to test it for tumor markers. These markers are specific proteins shed by pancreatic cancer. One of these tests is called CA19-9. It isn’t always reliable and it’s not always clear how to use the results. But it can still be helpful to providers, in addition to other tests.

Treatment

At Central Maine Healthcare, our oncologists treat patients with pancreatic cancer, so they understand the disease well and apply their depth of experience to provide the best care for each person. You can take on your treatment with peace of mind.

Personalized Treatment Plans: If you’ve been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, your cancer care team at Central Maine Healthcare will work together to create the treatment plan that will work best for you. It will take into account the stage and location of your cancer, your overall health and personal preferences.

Surgery: An operation to remove the cancer is one option you and your providers may consider. There are two kinds of surgery for pancreatic cancer. The first is done only in situations where providers are confident they can remove all the cancer. It’s called “potentially curative,” meaning it may cure the cancer. The second – called “palliative” — is done when imaging tests show that the cancer is too widespread to be removed by surgery. Its goal is only to relieve symptoms or prevent complications, not to cure the cancer.

In rare instances, a third approach is done by surgeons who are highly experienced with operating on pancreatic tumors and only in patients whose cancer has not spread too far. It begins with chemotherapy and radiation to weaken the cancer over several months. After these treatments, a surgeon will conduct a very long surgery – as much as 14 hours – to remove the remaining cancer. It’s a difficult surgery for both provider and patient. Talk to your provider about whether this treatment may make sense for you.

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy is the use of x-rays and protons to kill cancer cells. It may be used in situations where surgery is too dangerous. It may also be used before or after surgery, and/or in combination with chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy: This treatment uses anti-cancer drugs injected into a vein or taken by mouth (orally). It is sometimes combined with radiation treatment (called chemoradiation) to treat cancer that has spread to organs near the pancreas, but not to more distant areas of the body.

Palliative Treatment: Your cancer care team may advise palliative treatments to help relieve pain and other symptoms. These treatments may use any of the techniques listed above. Palliative is not the same as hospice care.

Taking Care of the Whole You: Wherever your journey takes you, we’re here to support you. We offer a complete range of support services designed to pick up where medical treatments leave off. They include a nurse navigator whose job is to guide you through the entire process of cancer diagnosis and treatment. An oncology social worker can put you in touch with resources including financial counseling, nutritional support and cancer education classes. And our Arbor House hospitality facility offers residential options free of charge for you and your family.

Lymphoma

A diagnosis of lymphoma can be a life-changing moment. But at Central Maine Healthcare, we combine compassionate care with a full range of treatments.

Treating Lymphoma

The first goal of lymphoma treatment is to get blood counts back to normal.  If this occurs and the bone marrow looks healthy under the microscope, the cancer is said to be in remission.  We’ll work closely with you to create the best possible treatment plan, including a full range of cancer support services to meet your needs.

Chemo/biotherapy

Chemo/biotherapy is used to kill cancer cells with medicines delivered either directly into your vein or by way of a pill taken by mouth. It is usually given if the tumor has returned or spread.

Radiation Therapy

We use the most advanced technology available to target cancer with extreme precision. Treatments include 3D conformal therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). All of these focus high-dose radiation directly on the tumor, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.  This treatment is overseen by a radiation oncologist, a doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer.

Central Maine Medical Center offers this service at The Cynthia A. Rydholm Cancer Treatment Center, which has state-of-the-art radiation therapy services.

Bone Marrow Transplant

In some cases, a bone marrow transplant (also called a stem cell transplant) is an option. The procedure is used to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Stem cells are immature cells in the bone marrow that give rise to all of your blood cells. A bone marrow transplant replaces bone marrow that either is not working properly or has been destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation.

The oncologists at Central Maine HealthCare may also use innovative options like immunotherapy.  With this treatment, medication triggers your immune system to attack and kill cancer cells.

Support for Every Step

We’re committed to caring for the whole you. That’s why we provide the resources you and your loved ones need to manage the journey from diagnosis to treatment to remission. You’ll find a full range of free or low-cost cancer support services—from education to rehabilitation, nutritional to spiritual counseling, support groups and more empowering programs.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer kills more people in a year than colon, breast and prostate cancer combined. But the good news is that with new life-saving screening and treatment options, lung cancer death rates have been on the decline since 1990. Central Maine Healthcare is committed to reducing your odds of getting this disease.

About Lung Cancer

Lung cancer starts when lung cells begin to grow out of control. There are four main types of this cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the more common of the two. It grows more slowly and is less likely to spread. The other is small cell lung cancer (SCLC). It progresses quickly and is likely to spread beyond the lungs.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women, mostly attributed to smoking. What makes it especially dangerous is that lung cancer symptoms often don’t appear until the disease has reached advanced stages. Fortunately, new screenings can now catch the condition in its earliest and most treatable stages—saving many more lives.

Prevention

The number one way to prevent lung cancer is to quit smoking for good. Smoking causes four out of five lung cancer deaths but if you quit, your odds of getting the disease begin to decline. Your provider can help you decide which strategy for quitting will be best for you. And for additional support, you can contact the Maine QuitLink for free tools and resources

Detection and Diagnosis

Lung cancer can usually be cured if it’s detected early. Unfortunately most lung cancers are not caught until they are advanced. At Central Maine Healthcare we’re fighting to change that. We offer low-dose computed tomography (also known as LDCT). It’s a fast, painless way to detect lung cancer when it’s still in an early stage.

If you’re over 55 and have a history of heavy smoking, don’t wait another day.  Schedule your screening at a location near you.

Personalized Treatment Plans

More than 95% of suspicious areas found during screenings are benign. But if you are diagnosed with cancer, our Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center is ready to help you fight the disease. We can target tumors with image-guided radiation, which focuses on the tumor while sparing healthy tissue. And promising advances in immunotherapy are helping lung cancer patients live longer. Your cancer care team will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan using the best therapies for your specific cancer.

Support

We’re committed to providing you all the education, tools and resources you and your loved ones need to manage a cancer diagnosis. You’ll find a full range of free or low-cost cancer support services—from education to rehabilitation, nutritional to spiritual counseling, support groups and more to meet your needs.

Screenings and Diagnosis

The goal of lung cancer screening is to save lives. Central Maine Healthcare wants to make it as easy as possible for anyone in our community who is at high risk for the disease to be screened. The test takes only 10 minutes and is covered by most insurance. And if you are uninsured, we can offer a reduced rate. It’s a small price to pay to catch this disease before it becomes deadly.

Please contact our Lung Navigator at 207-753-3954 to learn more about lung cancer screening. Or find a lung specialist anytime online.

Why Lung Cancer Screening?

With lung cancer, symptoms usually don’t appear until the disease has advanced, which is why a screening is so important for high-risk patients. Central Maine Healthcare offers low-dose CT scans, a groundbreaking new tool that can catch lung cancer before symptoms show. During this simple test, an X-ray machine scans the body, using low doses of radiation to make detailed pictures of the lung. It’s safe, painless and has proven to reduce the risk of lung cancer death by up to 20%.

Are You at High Risk for Lung Cancer?

Low-dose CT lung scans are recommended for the following groups of people who are at high risk for lung cancer:

  • People ages 50−80
  • Who have at least a 20-pack-per-year smoking history
  • People who still smoke or have quit within the past 15 years

What is Low-Dose CT Scanning?

During this simple test, an X-ray machine scans the entire body, using low doses of radiation to make detailed pictures of the lung. This allows our providers to detect even the smallest tumors, and offers a variety of benefits for patients at high-risk of lung cancer:

  • Effective: Studies show that low-dose CT is four times more likely to pick up a mass than a traditional chest X-ray. It has also proven to be at least as effective as mammography and colonoscopy screenings in saving lives.
  • Safe: CT scanning for lung cancer uses up to 90% less radiation than a conventional chest CT scan.
  • Painless: It’s non-invasive and only takes a few minutes to complete.
  • Convenient: CT scans are offered at our three locations: Central Maine Medical Center, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital.


If we find anything abnormal, our dedicated team will arrange follow-up testing and, if needed, work closely with you to create a personalized cancer treatment plan to help return you to good health.

Care You Can Trust

The CMMC Lung Cancer Screening Center is one of only seven hospitals in the state of Maine to be officially designated as a Lung Cancer Screening Center. So you can be confident your lung cancer screening will be safe and effective.

Treatment

Until recently, a diagnosis of lung cancer usually meant a poor prognosis, especially since lung cancer symptoms don’t appear until the disease has progressed. But with new early detection tools and innovative treatment options, survival rates continue to rise.

Central Maine Healthcare is staffed by experienced lung cancer specialists. Together, this dedicated team—including board-certified pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, specialized nurses and more—will work with you to create the best possible treatment plan.

We specialize in minimizing pain and side effects, plus access to a full range of cancer support services, so you can focus on healing.

Surgery

Surgery is performed to remove the lung tumor, as well as nearby lymph nodes in the chest to check for signs of cancer. It is typically used for early stage lung cancer, when the cancer has not spread, and in some cases, may completely cure the disease. Following surgery, additional treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be used to lower the risk of the cancer returning.

Radiation Therapy

Central Maine Healthcare uses the most advanced technology available to target lung tumors with extreme precision. Treatments include intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which focus high-dose radiation directly on the tumor, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. We also treat lung cancer from the inside with HDR brachytherapy, which delivers radiation from small implants located close to the tumor.

Medical Therapy

We also offer the latest and most effective chemotherapy options. Chemotherapy has shown to improve both the length and quality of life for people with lung cancer of all stages.

Other medical oncology services include:

  • Targeted Therapy: We now look for changes in lung cancer genes that can be targeted with oral (pill) treatments. These gene mutations can be targeted by drug therapy. Having this information helps us develop a treatment plan that’s specifically designed to fight your specific tumor. Most targeted therapies are oral medications that can be taken at home. They can spare patients hair loss, nausea, low blood counts or increased risk for infection. They are also more convenient and can enhance quality of life compared to standard treatments.
  • Immunotherapy: Recent FDA-approved drug therapies give people the ability to fight lung cancer using the body’s natural defense mechanism: the immune system. Immunotherapy works by making hidden cancer cells visible to the immune system, allowing white blood cells to fight and kill the cancer. Studies have shown immunotherapy drugs to be well-tolerated with minimal side effects, and when combined with more traditional treatments, have doubled lung cancer survival rates.

Kidney Cancer

About Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer – also known as renal cancer – is among the top 10 most common cancers for men and women. The rate of new kidney cancer diagnosis has risen as it is being detected more frequently through CT scans. When caught early, it is treatable and the number of survivors in remission has grown.

The disease starts when the cells of the kidneys mutate and form a tumor. Sometimes multiple tumors can form, break off and move into different parts of the body.

There are two main types of kidney cancer:

  • Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer and accounts for about 90 percent of cancerous tumors. It starts in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney.
  • Wilms’ tumor may develop in young children but is rare.

Kidney cancer does not usually cause signs or symptoms in the early stages, and there are currently no routine screening tests. In the later stages, kidney cancer signs and symptoms could include blood in the urine, back pain that won’t go away, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, chronic fatigue and intermittent fevers.

Prevention

Researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes kidney cancer, but there are things that can increase your risk. These are known as risk factors and include:

  • Older age
  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure / hypertension
  • Kidney failure treatment / dialysis
  • Inherited syndromes like von Hippel-Lindau, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis
  • Family history of kidney cancer
  • Frequent exposure to cadmium or specific herbicides

There best preventative measures include taking steps to improve your current health:

  • Quit smoking
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Control high blood pressure

Detection and Diagnosis

Kidney cancer is usually detected at more advanced stages because it can grow quite large before causing discomfort or pain. Tumors are also difficult to detect in a standard physical because the kidneys are deep inside the body. The majority of cases where kidney cancer is caught early on scans, the patient was being tested because they were suffering from symptoms of other kidney issues. If you are not at increased risk, then putting yourself through frequent CT scans or MRIs is not recommended.

Treatment

If you find that you have kidney cancer, rest assured you have some of central Maine’s best experts by your side. Our dedicated team—including board-certified urologic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists and more specialists—works closely with you to create a personalized treatment plan.

Surgery

Surgery to remove of all or part of the kidney is the main treatment for most kidney cancers and may include removing the surrounding tissues or lymph nodes. Until recently, kidney removal could only be accomplished through a surgical procedure called open or partial nephrectomies. This procedure requires a large, muscle-cutting abdominal incision, removal of a rib and a relatively longer hospital stay and recovery period.

Fortunately, new minimally invasive techniques now make the procedure much easier for patients.  At Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center, we offer laparoscopic surgery, which allows your surgeon to perform an operation that results in significantly less pain and a faster recovery.

Chemotherapy & Radiation Therapy

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are generally not effective for treating kidney cancer, but immunotherapy may help some patients by increasing their body’s immune response in the setting of metastatic disease.

Genetic Counseling

If you have a family history of kidney or renal cancer, it is possible to test for hereditary cancer syndromes. The Cancer Care Center’s genetic counselors can work with you and your providers to determine if you are at risk for certain cancers and steps that should be taken to prevent cancer cells and tumors.

Support

Throughout your journey, you’ll find a variety of cancer support services to meet your physical, emotional, spiritual and financial needs. That includes your very own nurse navigator to coordinate all of your care, answer any questions and provide extra comfort and support every step of the way.

Screening and Diagnosis

If you’re worried you might have kidney cancer, we know it can be upsetting and distracting. At Central Maine Health, we understand not knowing can be the most difficult experience. That’s why we’re focused on providing the expert medical attention you need to get a diagnosis as quickly and accurately as possible.

Screening for Kidney Cancer

A screening test is used to find cancer before symptoms appear. While there are no recommended screening tests for kidney cancer in people who are at average risk, there are symptoms you should be aware of. And even though these symptoms are more often caused by conditions that are not cancer, you should still see your provider.

Symptoms that may indicate kidney cancer include:

  • Blood in your urine, which may appear pink, red or cola colored
  • Low back pain on one side (not caused by injury)
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss not caused by dieting
  • Tiredness
  • Fever, which usually comes and goes (intermittent)
  • Anemia (low red blood cell counts)

Screening for People at Higher Risk for Kidney Cancer

Some people inherit from their parents conditions that put them at higher risk for the disease. If you’re at a higher risk, your provider may recommend regular imaging tests like MRI, CT or ultrasound scans to look for kidney tumors. When these are found early, kidney cancer can often be cured.

Talk to your provider if anyone in your family (blood relatives) currently has kidney cancer or had it in the past, especially at a younger age. Also, you may be advised to have genetic testing done if you have a family history of inherited conditions linked to this cancer. These conditions include von Hippel-Lindau disease, hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma, and Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) syndrome.

Genetic testing cannot detect kidney cancer. It can only tell you if you’re at a higher risk for the disease. If you are at higher risk, your provider may recommend regular testing. It’s important to note that a genetic test that shows you may be at higher risk does not mean you will get cancer. If genetic testing is recommended by your provider, our genetic counselors will help you understand what the test means for you.

Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer

If your provider suspects you may have kidney cancer, they will want to get more information. First, they will want to ask questions about your symptoms and learn more about your medical history.  They will also want to give you a physical exam to see if anything feels abnormal in your abdomen and to check for other signs of cancer or other health problems.  They may also order one or more of the following tests:

Blood and/or Urine Tests

A sample of your blood or urine is examined to show if there may be any problems with your kidneys. The tests cannot show whether or not you have cancer for certain, but they do provide your provider the information they need to determine next steps in your diagnosis.

Imaging Tests

There are many varieties of imaging tests, but all use either x-rays, sound waves, radioactive substances or magnetic fields to create pictures of the inside of the body. They help your provider look at areas they suspect may be cancer, to see how far cancer has spread, and/or to help find out if treatment is working. Examples of these tests include computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, ultrasound, chest x-rays and bone scans.

Biopsies

If imaging tests are not clear enough, a biopsy can help your provider determine if an area may be cancerous. In this case, he’ll remove a small sample of tissue, often with a needle. This sample is sent to a pathologist, who will look for any signs of cancer.

Guiding You Every Step of the Way

If you are diagnosed with kidney cancer, Central Maine Healthcare is here to support you and your family. Our nurse navigators work with you from your first appointment, helping you through your journey. They can provide or connect you with a wide variety of support services, including financial counseling, shuttle services, free lodging for family members at Arbor House, nutritional support and educational resources.

Treatment

Taking on cancer isn’t easy for anyone. At Central Maine Healthcare, we want to help you in your fight. We provide the highest-quality kidney cancer care, from advanced imaging, to a full range of treatment options and support services.

After your diagnosis, the first step in creating your treatment plan will be to determine what stage your cancer is. Stage 1 is least severe and stage 4 is most. Understanding the size of the tumor and how far the cancer has spread helps your provider understand how to treat the cancer and how successful that treatment may be.

Surgery for Kidney Cancer

Usually surgery will be the first step and is frequently the only intervention needed. Because we have two kidneys, it’s possible to live a full and healthy life with only one. Your provider may remove some or all of a kidney to treat your cancer.

Total Nephrectomy is the most common surgery done for kidney cancer. It removes the entire kidney, and occasionally the adrenal gland and surrounding tissue. A total nephrectomy can be done with a hand-assisted laparoscopic approach, which involves a few small incisions.

Partial Nephrectomy is removal of just the tumor, leaving as much normal kidney tissue as possible. This is done in some cases when the patient has a smaller tumor and it is in a favorable location within the kidney.

If both kidneys must be removed, or if neither of them is working, you may need dialysis. Dialysis is using a machine to clean your blood the way a healthy kidney normally would. Or if your cancer has not spread outside your kidneys, you may be able to have a kidney transplant, if a donated kidney is available.

Options in Addition to Surgery

Surgery isn’t the only way to manage kidney cancer.

Immunotherapy stimulates your body’s natural defenses (also known as your immune system) to boost your ability to fight cancer. It involves substances made by your body or in a lab. These substances are man-made versions of natural proteins that can reduce the size of kidney cancers in a small percentage of patients. This is generally only employed in cases where the tumor has spread to other parts of the body and surgery would not be curative.

Cryotherapy uses an external probe, often guided by a radiologist using ultrasound, to freeze and kill the tumor. This is often a good option for small tumors in patients who do not want or cannot tolerate surgery.

Arterial embolization is a procedure that stops blood supply to a tumor in the kidney. It may be used before surgery to reduce bleeding from a large tumor, to relive pain or to control other symptoms.

Radiofrequency ablation “cooks” a tumor with high-energy radio waves and is similar to cryoablation.

Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. A machine sends these x-rays into your body and to the cancer. In kidney cancer, radiation therapy is often used to help with symptoms in patients who cannot have surgery.

Chemotherapy is less effective for treatment of kidney cancer than for some other cancers. It uses anti-cancer drugs which may be injected into the vein or taken by mouth as pills. These drugs kill the cancer cells or stop them from growing. It works best on kidney cancer which contains spindle cells known as sarcomatoid variant. 

Support for Healing the Whole You

Dealing with cancer treatment can be difficult. At Central Maine Healthcare we offer many different support services to help you fight the disease. Our nurse navigators assist you through the entire process of diagnosis, treatment and recovery. And our social workers can connect you with the counseling and information you and your family need to manage the emotional, spiritual, financial and practical needs that come with a cancer diagnosis.

Cancer Support Services

Support Options at the Cancer Care Center at Central Maine Medical Center 

Our oncology nurses will be with you throughout treatment. They work closely with patients, their family and with the oncologists. They have an overview of your treatment, and they are also there to provide direct care.

Our oncology Nurse Navigators help patients and their families learn what other non-medical resources are available. Our navigators can also help you find other community resources that offer comfort and assistance.

Our oncology social workers can assist you in balancing treatment plans with the needs of everyday life.

We also provide access to the Arbor House, a free residential space on the CMMC campus. This spacious house provides comfort and privacy to fit the needs of you and your loved ones while undergoing treatments.

Fertility & Cancer

If you’re a woman of childbearing age who’s been diagnosed with cancer, you probably have questions about keeping your reproductive system healthy while undergoing treatment.

Whose Fertility Is Affected by Cancer and Treatments? There is no blanket answer to which patients might experience side effects from cancer treatment, especially when the side effect could be infertility. The answer will depend on a number of factors:

  • Your “baseline fertility”—that is, are you fertile now?
  • Your age
  • Your type of cancer
  • The type of treatment, dosage, and length of treatment
  • Other health factors

How Can Your Reproductive System Be Affected by Cancer Treatments? The fact is, cancer is a powerful disease, and we need powerful weapons to fight it. Sometimes those weapons cause weaken us for a while, or even have lasting effects. They’re not pleasant to think about, but if you know the possibilities ahead of time, you’ll be better positioned to prevent them:

  • Chemotherapy can cause your ovaries to stop releasing eggs and estrogen. This can be a temporary effect, or it can persist indefinitely.
  • Radiation aimed near your abdomen, pelvis or spine can damage nearby organs. Depending on which organs are involved, your reproductive health could be disturbed.
  • Surgery near your reproductive organs can cause scarring, which can affect your fertility indirectly.
  • Hormone therapy can disrupt your menstrual cycle, thereby complicating fertility.
  • Bone marrow transplants or stem cell transplants, in addition to being physically grueling procedures, can require high doses of chemotherapy or radiation and impact your reproductive system.

Your Options for Cancer Treatments and Fertility: When you undergo cancer therapy, you’ll have a long list of options for preserving your reproductive health, ranging from minimally invasive to high-tech, innovative procedures.  Your options might include:

  • Sperm and egg freezing
  • Embryo freezing
  • Tissue freezing
  • Medications
  • Ovarian transposition, a relatively new process that involves moving your ovaries “out of the way” of radiation’s rays, and reduces your ovaries’ exposure to the radiation.

Infertility is a common side effect of cancer treatments, but you have options for keeping your reproductive system healthy. The fertility specialists at the MGH Clinic for Reproductive Health and Cancer will work with your Central Maine oncology team and keep you informed of all your options, all the time you’re in our care.

Financial Counseling

When you get a cancer diagnosis, the last thing you need is to worry about money. Controlling your stress level is important to managing your illness, and the financial counselors at CMH are here to help you figure out how you will pay your bills, when you can return to work and other issues that can affect your recovery.

How a Financial Counselor Can Help You: Whether you’re a high-earning CEO or work for minimum wage, you can benefit from talking with a financial counselor. The costs of being treated for a serious illness soar higher every year, and a financial counselor can point you to resources or plans you may not be aware of.

  • The counselor will review your insurance policies and explain anything you don’t understand about your coverage and how it works.
  • Financial counselors know the financial aid landscape and can tell you what’s available to you, including nonprofit and public funding, and how to apply for it.
  • You may be eligible for help with medications, including discounts from manufacturers.
  • The counselor can suggest options to help with transportation costs for appointments.
  • Your financial counselor will review your treatment plan and tell you what to expect regarding costs and options for paying those bills.
  • There’s a phrase for the financial stress that often accompanies a cancer diagnosis: financial toxicity—money pressure that aggravates your sickness. Your counselor will guide you through every financial concern and make sure you are never so overwhelmed with money issues that your anxiety gets in the way of your recovery.

Your Counselor Can Help with Billing Issues, Too: Does anyone really understand their hospital and other medical bills? The financial counselor can help you manage your bills.

Money or Not, Trust Your Recovery to Us: CMH is committed to treating every person who needs medical care, regardless of illness or ability to pay for treatment. If your income is below Maine Free Care income levels, you can be treated free of charge at CMMC, Bridgton Hospital or Rumford Hospital. If you have questions about finances, call 888-869-3101.

Genetic Counseling

A lot of conditions run in the family. Maybe your parents, aunts and uncles complain of osteoporosis, while you have friends whose relatives are prone to heart disease or dementia. One disease that’s notorious for having a genetic component is cancer. If you belong to the cancer family, you might consider genetic counseling to learn your cancer risk and how you might prevent getting it.

Which Cancers Are Hereditary? Those that do have a genetic component include:

  • Breast cancer
  • Gynecological cancers—ovarian, uterine and fallopian tube
  • Gastrointestinal cancers—colon, rectal, pancreatic and gastric
  • Genitourinary—kidney
  • Endocrine—thyroid, pituitary and adrenal
  • Skin—melanoma

Who Should Go for Genetic Counseling? The purpose of genetic assessment and counseling is to identify people who may have a high risk of developing certain cancers and help them prevent the disease. We strongly recommend genetic counseling if any of the following apply:

  • You’ve been diagnosed with more than one type of cancer
  • Several of your family members on one side of the family have had cancer
  • You’re of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry with breast, ovarian, colon or pancreatic cancer
  • You’ve had more than one childhood cancer, such as leukemia or sarcoma
  • One of your family members has a known gene mutation like BRCA or cancer predisposition syndrome
  • You were diagnosed with cancer at an earlier than usual age for that type of cancer
  • You were diagnosed with breast, colorectal or endometrial cancer at age 50 or younger
  • You’ve had a rare cancer diagnosis, such as male breast cancer, at any age.

When you arrive for your appointment, our specialists will review your medical history (and your family’s), assess and discuss your cancer risk, benefits and limitations of genetic testing and arrange testing if appropriate. They may refer you to support groups or research studies.

How You’ll Benefit from Genetic Testing: Genetic counseling and testing might actually improve your health because:

  • Testing might identify a cause of cancer
  • It could identify children or siblings who are at higher-than-normal risk of developing cancer, and might also benefit from screening
  • Testing sometimes finds no increased risk of cancer
  • If you are at risk, your counselor will develop an individual cancer screening schedule
  • Genetic testing can help you decide whether to undergo surgery to lower your risk
  • Test results could indicate a change in your current cancer treatment plan.

We offer on-site genetic counseling for breast cancer patients

Nurse Navigators

An oncology nurse navigator is a professional registered nurse with oncology specific clinical knowledge, who offers individualized assistance to patients, families, and caregivers to help overcome healthcare system barriers.

How Your Nurse Navigator Can Help You: Your Nurse Navigator is beside you on your journey back to health, making sure you know you’re not alone. Our Navigators are specially trained oncology-certified nurses who will:

  • Inform and guide you through your specific cancer and treatment choices
  • Help you coordinate and streamline your care
  • Research any available clinical trials or second opinions you might request
  • Identify any physical, emotional, spiritual, psychosocial and financial concerns you might have, and work with you to resolve those issues
  • Connect you with social workers, pastoral care, financial counseling and other supporters who will be there to help you through your treatment and recovery.

Nutritional Support

Eating and Cancer Treatment: Treatment impairs more than just your appetite and tasting abilities. Gastrointestinal problems are a common outcome of chemotherapy, and it’s no surprise that nausea and pain make anyone turn away from food. Central Maine’s dietitians will help you to restore your digestive health and prevent malnutrition. Once you’re able to eat again, they’ll work with you to plan meals that not only will meet your nutritional needs, they’ll also be made of foods you enjoy. Together you’ll set daily calorie and nutrition goals, and they will work with your oncology team to identify solutions at every stage of your treatment. Some therapies affect your sense of taste, while others might curb your appetite. Yet, good nutrition is never more important to your health than when you’re fighting cancer. When you’re nourish, you’ll heal faster, and Central Maine’s nutritionists can help make that happen even when you feel lousy.

Palliative Care

Palliative care is a specialized care that uses a team approach to improve the quality of life of a patient who is seriously ill. Palliative care supports the patient and their family before and after treatment. It addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual needs that arise when a person is very ill.

Palliative care teams serve:

  • Patients with chronic illnesses or conditions that affect daily living
  • Patients with illnesses that may be successfully treated, but result in a poor quality of life
  • Terminally ill patients
  • Addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs when a patient is very ill.
  • Supporting the patient and family before and after treatment.

What the palliative care team provides:

  • Partnership with your providers
  • Relief from pain and other distressing symptoms
  • A coordinated approach to addressing physical, emotional and spiritual suffering
  • Open discussions about treatment options and management of symptoms
  • Support to improve the quality of your life
  • A celebration of life, while also regarding dying as a normal process
  • Advocacy for you

You may wish to seek palliative care if you or your loved one:

  • Suffers from pain or other symptoms due to illness
  • Experiences physical, emotional or spiritual suffering that is not under control
  • Need help understanding your condition and coordinating your care

Palliative team members may include:

  • Palliative care nurse practitioner
  • Palliative care provider
  • Chaplain
  • Social worker
  • Others who might be helpful in improving your care and comfort, such as nurses, care managers, pharmacists, nutritionists, physical or occupational therapists and support staff