If radiation therapy is part of your cancer treatment, it’s reassuring to know that Spectrum Healthcare Partners offers today’s most advanced radiation oncology care at four convenient locations in Maine (Bath, Portland, Sanford, Scarborough) as well as Portsmouth, NH.
Each year, our board-certified and fellowship-trained experts deliver over 50,000 treatments to adults and children—making us the most experienced radiation oncology team in the area.
We’re also the only local radiation oncology group that’s a member of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). RTOG is a national cooperative group, funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), that conducts radiation therapy research and clinical trials to improve survival and quality of life for cancer patients. This means we can offer you truly cutting-edge treatments and investigational protocols that aren’t available anyplace else in this region—tailored to your unique situation.
The conditions we treat with radiation therapy
Spectrum’s radiation oncologists treat adults and children with all types of cancer, including:
- Bone cancer
- Brain tumors
- Breast cancer
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Genitourinary cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Metastatic cancer
- Non-Hodgkins and Hodgkins lymphomas
- Oral cancer
- Pediatric cancers
- Prostate cancer
- Skin cancers
We also use radiation therapy to treat benign (non-cancerous) conditions such as:
- Osteoarthritis (OA)
- Heterotopic bone formation (extra bone growth after joint replacement surgery)
- Vascular conditions to reduce the possibility of repeated blockage (restenosis) of a blood vessel
- Keloids (fibrous growths on the skin)
The types of radiation therapy we offer
Spectrum’s radiation oncology team offers a full range of today’s most advanced types of radiation therapy, including:
LDRT is a safe, non-invasive therapy that has been shown to reduce osteoarthritis (OA) pain in 60-90% of patients. There are no significant side effects, long-term risks, or impacts on patients’ future surgical candidacy. LDRT is evidence-based, and therefore routinely covered by Medicare and private insurers.
The best candidates for LD-RT:
- Painful OA in shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, ankles, and feet
- Age 50+
- NSAID therapy is no longer working
This is a type of radiation therapy in which radioactive material is placed directly into or near a tumor. It’s also called implant radiation therapy or internal radiation therapy.
- High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a technique that delivers a higher dose of radiation in a shorter period. This therapy can be used alone or to boost standard EBRT. We were the first in Maine to perform HDR brachytherapy.
- Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) is a form of HDR brachytherapy that can shorten radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer from the standard 6 to 7 weeks of treatment to just 1 week in appropriate patients. APBI involves twice-daily outpatient treatments over a 5-day period, versus daily visits over a six-week period for conventional, whole-breast EBRT.
The most common type of radiation therapy used for cancer treatment, external beam radiation uses a machine (called a linear accelerator) to aim high-energy radiation beams from outside the body into the tumor to destroy cancer cells.
- 3-dimensional conformal external beam radiation therapy enables us to deliver a higher dose of radiation to a tumor with less damage to the surrounding healthy tissue
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a type of conformal EBRT that uses computer-generated images to show the size and shape of a tumor. The radiation oncologist can then more precisely shape the beam to the tumor and vary its intensity, reducing damage to nearby healthy tissue.
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), the most advanced form of radiation therapy, combines image-guided accuracy with intensity modulated precision, ensuring that radiation targets the tumor and spares nearby healthy tissue
- Stereotactic radiosurgery is a non-invasive way to treat brain tumors without the risks of surgery. Despite its name, radiosurgery isn’t actual surgery, but a radiation therapy technique that uses extremely precise equipment and 3-dimensional computer planning to focus a beam of high-dose x-rays on a brain lesion.
Radiation therapy for children
Spectrum’s radiation oncologists have undergone specialized training in delivering radiation therapy to children and young adults. We use the latest technologies and techniques to safely destroy cancer cells while sparing normal, healthy tissue.
In coordination with the Maine Children’s Cancer Program, each year we treat over 60 children with cancer. As part of a network that includes Boston Children’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the Children’s Oncology Group, we have access to the latest research and clinical trials—for each child’s optimal care.
A commitment to the highest-quality cancer care
Spectrum is one of Maine’s only radiation oncology practices that is part of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of 28 U.S. cancer centers that have earned NCI designation for the thoroughness of their care. This demonstrates our commitment to complete, effective and compassionate cancer care.
In addition, our practice sites are accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR), so you know we’ve met rigorous national standards for quality and safety.
Questions?
If you have any questions about radiation therapy, please call us at 207.482.7800. Our aim is to help you understand your diagnosis and treatment recommendations so you can make the most informed decisions.
To schedule an appointment in one of our Maine locations (Bath, Portland, Sanford, and Scarborough), please call 207.662.6244.
To schedule an appointment in our Portsmouth, NH location call 603.559.4188.
Current patients who have questions after hours (Monday – Friday after 5pm and weekends) may call 207.662.2276 to be connected to the Radiology Oncology team.
