Three oncologists join Cancer Care team at AR Gould Hospital

1 year ago

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Light AR Gould Hospital is pleased to have recently welcomed three new providers to Northern Light Cancer Care in Presque Isle. Joining the team are Radiation Oncologist Naghmeh Isfahanian, MD, and Medical Oncologists Lukas Emery, DO and Jennifer Brown, MD.

“We are very excited that these providers have chosen to join our team,” said Brenda Baker, RN, manager of the practice. “With the addition of Dr. Emery and Dr. Brown we are better able to meet the needs of patients across Aroostook County, northern Penobscot and Washington counties. It is critical that we have the ability to meet the needs for these patients as there is an unfortunate, nationwide shortage of medical oncologists.”  

Dr. Emery earned his medical degree at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and his fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Dartmouth’s Norris Cotton Cancer Center. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Emery is originally from Lincoln and his wife is from Caribou, so it was a natural decision for them to return to Maine and raise their family in The County.  He also recognizes that there is a real need for this type of care in the region and wants to help meet that need long-term. He and his wife are making their home here with their two young sons. “There is nowhere better to raise a family,” he said.  

Joining the Cancer Care practice in November is Dr. Jennifer Brown. She had worked as a locum, or temporary, provider in the department previously and enjoyed her connection to the team and patients here. She will now be stepping in on a regular basis to provide care remotely for patients in the region. 

Dr. Brown earned her medical degree from Rush Medical College. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and her fellowship in Medical Oncology and Pallative Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. 

Radiation Oncologist Dr. Isfahanian comes to us from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Ontario and St. Catherine’s Hospital in St. Catherine, Ontario. She earned her medical degree from Hamedan University of Medical Science in Iran. She completed her Radiation Oncology residency at the University of Ottawa and her Radiation Oncology clinical fellowship at the University of McMaster in Canada. Her fellowship focus was on lung, prostate, and oligometastases SBRT.

“With our current Lead Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Hechtman, retiring, we’re very excited to have Dr. Isfahanian join our team. Dr. Hechtman was instrumental in bringing SBRT treatments to the region, and we are pleased to have a provider of Dr. Isfahanian’s caliber step in to fill the increasing need we are seeing in this area,” Baker said. 

Drs. Emery, Brown, and Isfahanian join a talented team of providers in the Cancer Care practice: Maksim Liaukavich, MD and Lindsay Ireland, NP in medical oncology/hematology; Jeffrey Young, MD in radiation oncology; and Susan Tyler, MD in palliative care. Together, this team provides comprehensive cancer care for patients across our region.

 Patients are also supported during their cancer journey by several specialty care areas within the hospital, such as pulmonology, ENT, general surgery, interventional radiology, advanced Imaging (particularly PET scans and 3D CT), rehabilitation therapy, and more.