Central Maine Healthcare

Where You are the Center

Radiation Oncology

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.

What is Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy uses high energy beams to destroy or shrink tumors, sometimes before or after cancer surgery, and to help alleviate symptoms. We offer the latest, safest and most effective radiation therapies to treat a wide range of cancers.

Our board-certified radiation oncologists and radiation therapists will work closely with your cancer care team and you to carefully plan and monitor each treatment to maximize success. We’ll also be right by your side through every phase of treatment to help you feel well and without major changes to your normal routine. 

Targeting Tumors with Extreme Precision

Central Maine Healthcare radiation therapists have some of the most sophisticated technology at their disposal. This technology allows your radiation therapist to deliver radiation in exactly the right place. This allows for a higher, more effective dosage amount without additional risk of side effects, including damage to normal, surrounding tissues.

The cutting-edge therapies we offer include:

  • Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT): Allows us to locate and track tumors with the use of advanced imaging before treatment delivery to deliver more precise radiation treatments.
  • Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT): Allows radiation beams of various strengths and customized shapes to be delivered from several angles. Exact locations of the tumor and healthy structures are identified by your Radiation Oncologist, along with our knowledgeable dosimetry and physics planning team with the use of advanced computer planning systems  to determine the intensity of each individual radiation beam, sparing as much healthy tissue as possible.
  • Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT): A technique used to treat lung cancers and other applicable disease sites, this technique uses carefully programmed coordinates to deliver narrowly focused, high-dose radiation beams to a solid tumor, while incorporating patient respiratory breathing cycles into the treatment plan.
  • 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy (3DCRT): Uses computer simulation of the tumor and surrounding areas to shape the radiation beam exactly to the tumor.
  • RapidArc: Is a technique that takes IMRT to the next level. Using IGRT and IMRT, the treatment machine  delivers treatment as it rotates in fluid arc rotations around the patient.  Treatment time is faster and often times treatments can be delivered n less than 10 minutes.

Support through Treatment and Beyond

Throughout your journey, we offer a full range of support services to help deal with any and all treatment challenges. That includes one-on-one counseling with a a registered dietitian to ensure good nutrition and manage any changes in appetite. You also have access to an oncology social worker for any emotional concerns, as well as a chaplain for spiritual care, ongoing support groups and much more.

Deidra’s story

Deidra received a grim diagnosis in February of 2022: triple negative breast cancer. Since then, she’s undergone chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. Deidra sought treatment at the Cancer Care Center at CMMC, and she was overwhelmed by the care team’s compassion and dedication to her health.

Hector Tarraza, MD, chief of the Oncology Institute, says that before the Center opened in 2022, it was challenging for patients to navigate their way around multiple cancer care locations.

“Now, everything is under one roof and very patient-centered,” says Dr. Tarraza. “We have surgical oncology, radiation oncology and an infusion center all in one building. It was designed to be open, spacious and healing. We want anyone in central Maine who faces a cancer diagnosis to know we’re here for them. When they come to the Cancer Care Center, they’re going to receive state-of-the-art care, and they don’t have to travel far to get it.”

Deidra recently finished a series of treatments at the Center and now follows a routine schedule of maintenance appointments. She’s also living her life to the fullest.

“There is no such thing as putting things off,” she says. “It’s about living in the moment. We’ve taken some amazing family trips, and we’re building a beautiful backyard patio. These are things my husband and I would never have even considered before I was diagnosed. I wish everyone could have this perspective without going through the hard stuff.”

Cancer Care Center

The Cancer Care Center in Lewiston, established in 2024, provides comprehensive cancer care services all in one place. Featuring a multidisciplinary team of oncology professionals, the center cares for patients from their diagnosis through treatment. The center’s new facility offers state-of-the-art technology with two onsite linear accelerators for radiation oncology, an infusion center and a comforting, healing environment.

Cancer Care Center at CMMC
17 High Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
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Healing Environment Inspired Design

The Cancer Care Center was thoughtfully designed to incorporate the landscape in and around Lewiston. Local mills and factories, features of the region’s proud heritage, played a crucial part in the design concept. The interior architecture and layout was inspired by the work and research being conducted in DNA research and how it relates to cancer care. Using natural light, sustainable features, growing plants and open space to allow for the best possible healing environment.

Linear Accelerators and Radiation Therapy
This center has two state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam Linear Accelerators for the radiation oncology department. A medical linear accelerator (LINAC) is the device most commonly used for radiation treatments for patients with cancer. It delivers high-energy x-rays or electrons to the region of the patient’s tumor. Using this advanced technology, these treatments can be delivered in such a way that they destroy the cancer cells while sparing the surrounding normal tissue.

More than half of U.S. cancer patients receive radiation therapy — and many of these treatments wouldn’t be possible without a machine called a linear accelerator (LINAC). A linear accelerator, also referred to as LINAC, is a machine that aims radiation at cancer tumors with pinpoint accuracy, sparing nearby healthy tissue. It’s used to deliver several types of external beam radiation therapy.

LINACs send radiation, such as x-rays or electron beams, through the body and into cancer tumors. Today’s LINACs are equipped with 3D image guidance like CT scanning to accurately target tumors. Special software then matches radiation beams to unique tumor sizes and shapes. This customized approach makes external beam radiation therapy safe and precise for cancer treatment.

Infusion Suites
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.

Onsite Lab
Patients can conveniently access any of the variety of laboratory tests are needed for navigating cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. Lab tests also may be used to screen high-risk patients, pinpoint the stage of cancer, identify treatment options and evaluate whether the cancer is responding to treatment.

Onsite Pharmacy
The pharmacy team at the Cancer Care Center understands that cancer is a complex disease, and that oncology medications play a key role in fighting it. Our onsite oncology pharmacy provides quality care in several ways and CMMC Cancer Center pharmacists guide patients through the process to educate patients and their caregiver, helping them understand medications and manage side effects.

Cancer care

“A defining feature of everyone who works here is they have a passion for the care of patients with cancer. From the front office, nurses , pharmacy, radiation colleagues, people would not be in here if they did not feel connected to the mission for care” – Hector Tarraza, MD, Chief of the Central Maine Healthcare Oncology Institute

With thoughtful design, Central Maine Healthcare’s oncology team will now be assembled under one roof—fully embracing the patient on their journey from diagnosis to wellness and all the challenging steps in between.

The Cancer Care Center at Central Maine Medical Center is an integrated, multi-disciplinary program that combines a full spectrum of services and medical specialists to diagnose and treat cancer all in one center. Some of the best minds in cancer care work together, using advanced technology, to give people with cancer the best options for treatment and recovery.

We’re proud of the numerous certifications and awards we have received from national organizations recognizing our commitment to cancer patients’ experience and the quality of their care. Among others, we are accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer.

As a community hospital comprehensive care program, we must also meet high standards including a team approach to care coordination, access to prevention and early detection programs, cancer education, and support services. We also share and receive valuable data through our participation in the National Cancer Database.

Meet our providers

Deidra’s story

“I would not have chosen to go through what I’ve been through, but now that I have, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. My whole perspective on life has changed. The staff at the Cancer Care Center was the best. I just love everybody there.”  Read More…

Why Choose Us

Every day, Central Maine Healthcare helps patients throughout our community bring their best to the battle against cancer. Here are just a few of the ways we’re bringing hope and healing to our communities:

Everybody Working Together to Beat Cancer

At Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center (CMCCC), all the treatment you need is together under one roof: surgery, radiation and medical oncology. That’s not only convenient for you but it allows us to easily unify our efforts. Our providers, specialists, and nurses – plus social workers, dietitians, rehabilitation therapists and more – all work near each other and closely together to consider and regularly discuss the treatment plan that will produce the best possible results for each patient.

Commitment to Patients

Many of our nurses and therapists have been working with Central Maine Healthcare for 15 – 20 years, showing great dedication to their patients and devotion to the central Maine community.

Fast Diagnosis, Quick Path to Treatment

Our onsite labs allow us to make fast, accurate diagnoses. And if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, we understand you want to start treatment as soon as possible. Our radiation therapy group is set up to get you in quickly, so you can begin on the road to better health.

Infusion Centers Throughout Central Maine

Whether you’re near Central Maine Medical Center, Bridgton Hospital or Rumford Hospital, you’re close to one of our dedicated infusion centers. That means you can receive cancer treatment close to home.

CMCCC is Fully Accredited and Often Awarded

We’ve been accredited by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).

Friendly, Compassionate Care

We’re proud of the sense of family our caregivers feel at CMCC. You’re not just a number on a medical chart. We know your name and make a point of getting to know you and your family. We believe it’s the best way to provide a comfortable, healing environment that allows excellent care.

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.