Surgical Oncology (Cancer)

Types of Surgery We Offer

Whether your procedure is routine or complex, rest assured you’re in good hands at Central Maine Healthcare.

Many of our board-certified surgeons practice in highly specialized areas, with advanced training in everything from tumor removal to trauma, hernia repair to heart care. We perform many of these procedures using the latest minimally invasive techniques, often allowing you to go home the same day and enjoy an easier, faster recovery.

It’s all part of our commitment to bring leading surgical care right to the central and western Maine surrounding communities we serve. So you can focus less on traveling, and more on healing.

Full Range of Surgical Services

Just some of our specialties include:

General surgery

Our surgeons treat all types of health problems affecting the esophagus, stomach, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts. We take a minimally invasive approach whenever possible, including appendectomies and gallbladder removal, as well as complex hernia repair. These laparoscopic procedures require just a few small incisions, which often means significantly less pain and quicker return to your life.

Cancer surgery

For many types of cancer, surgery is often the best first treatment, especially for early stage cancers or those that are contained to one area. Our board-certified surgeons are skilled in removing even the most complex tumors, while helping minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue. We also work closely with specialists in radiation and medical oncology to ensure the best possible care.

Gynecologic surgery

Our women’s health experts perform a wide range of gynecologic procedures to address concerns at any age and stage of life. That includes treatment for endometriosis, removing fibroids and ovarian cysts, and minimally invasive techniques for incontinence and hysterectomy. Many of these procedures can be done on an outpatient basis, allowing you to leave the hospital the same day and recover comfortably at home.

Heart and vascular surgery

At the nationally recognized Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute (CMHVI), our cardiovascular surgeons perform both traditional open heart surgery as well as some of the most advanced, minimally invasive options available. Specialties include implantable devices and ablation to help restore irregular heart rhythms; angioplasty and other interventional procedures in our state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab; heart valve repair and replacement, including the revolutionary TAVR procedure for severe aortic stenosis; and pediatric procedures to address congenital heart concerns and other conditions affecting young hearts.

Orthopedic surgery

The board-certified surgeons at Orthopedic Institute of Central Maine (OICM) and Central Maine Healthcare Orthopedics (CMHO) are here to help get your body, and life, back in motion. We’ve earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for providing the highest standards of care in hip, knee and shoulder replacement, as well as hip fracture care. We also specialize in minimally invasive spine surgery and the latest arthroscopic techniques to help you return faster to what you love.

Plastic and reconstructive surgery

Central Maine Healthcare offers a wide range of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures to help you look and feel your best. Elective cosmetic options include face lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, liposuction and more from our board-certified plastic surgeons. Our reconstructive procedures can help restore appearance and self-confidence after an injury or illness, including breast reconstruction following mastectomy.

Trauma surgery

As a Level III Trauma Center, we provide 24-hour surgical coverage for all types of serious and life-threatening injuries. We also orthopedic surgeons and other critical care specialists always on-call.

Weight loss (bariatric) surgery

Transform your health and life with help from our board-certified bariatric surgeons. We perform a variety of safe and proven weight loss procedures, including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and adjustable gastric banding (LAP-BAND). Using the latest laparoscopic options, we’ll help give you the best possible start on your journey, and provide the ongoing education and support you need to achieve your goals.

Other common surgeries we offer include:

Breast surgery
Colon surgery
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery
Esophageal surgery
Gastrointestinal surgery
Liver and biliary tract surgery
Lung surgery
Pediatric surgery
Podiatry procedures
Urologic surgery

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.

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.

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

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.

Diagnosing Skin Cancer

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.