PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Light AR Gould Hospital recently completed the replacement of the hospital’s Linear Accelerator, which provides critical, lifesaving radiation therapy to cancer patients across Aroostook County.
The hospital’s Varian IX C Series LINAC has been replaced with a new Siemens TrueBeam machine.
“Our previous C model machine was a first-generation LINAC and a great improvement over older radiation treatment equipment; but that equipment was nearing the end of its useful life from a technology perspective,” explains Dr. Naghmeh Isfahanian, the hospital’s lead radiation oncologist.
“This new LINAC device and software is very sophisticated and gives us the chance to treat cancer more aggressively, while at the same time sparing normal tissue from radiation and minimizing the side effects of the radiation,” says Dr. Isfahanian. “The ability of daily imaging will help us make sure the set up for treatment is more accurate and faster. Some treatments, depending on the kind of cancer and purpose of treatment, may be done in one session rather than multiple ones.”
Dr. Isfahanian explains that radiation treatments can be provided as a curative, primary treatment for cancer, or may take place pre-surgery to make a tumor smaller or post-surgery to eliminate any possible residue.
Because AR Gould is the only hospital in northern Maine to provide radiation treatment, the hospital’s team works closely with other oncologists throughout the area to provide this specialized care. About 98% of radiation treatments for patients in northern Maine take place at the Northern Light Cancer Care clinic in Presque Isle, according to Dr. Isfahanian.
“It is so important to have this service in our region. Radiation treatment is daily. A patient may need anywhere from 5 to 35 treatments depending on the kind of cancer and the reason for the treatment,” says Dr. Isfahanian. This makes traveling to another area for treatment very challenging – logistically, financially, physically, and even mentally. This is even more of a challenge for those patients north of Presque Isle who already may have to travel to get to AR Gould for treatment.
The purchase of this multi-million-dollar machine was made possible through Congressionally Directed Spending.
“This funding request was supported by both Senator Susan Collins and Senator Angus King, and we are so grateful for their commitment to the needs of this region,” said Dr. Jay Reynolds, president of AR Gould Hospital.
With Congressional approval the hospital then worked with the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services to replace the LINAC.
Federal funding through the CDS program of $3,016,000 was provided and the hospital has additionally committed about $450,000 for engineering and operational expenses associated with the renovations needed in the vault that houses the equipment.
The first patient treatments on the new LINAC began on Sept. 29.
