Northern Light AR Gould Hospital will soon upgrade its linear accelerator, a piece of equipment used in radiation therapy.
The current linear accelerator, a Varian IX C Series, is being replaced with a new Seimens TrueBeam model.
“The LINAC provides critical, lifesaving, palliative, or pain reducing, radiation therapy for cancer patients across Aroostook County,” said Brenda Baker, RN, manager of Cancer Care. “AR Gould physicians work closely with other oncologists throughout the area to provide this very specialized care. It is unique to have this type of equipment in rural areas, due to the high cost and the need for specially trained staff to deliver this care.”
The Varian Linear Accelerator currently in use is nearing the end of its useful life from a technology standpoint. “Though it has served the citizens well, the newer technology available is more effective at providing targeted beam treatment and limiting collateral damage to the healthy tissues located near the tumors. Many patients need a fewer number of treatments to obtain the same results,” Baker says.
With that in mind, the hospital submitted applications to Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator King for Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending to fund the project. With Congressional approval the hospital then worked with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to replace the LINAC.
“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,” says Dr. Jay Reynolds, hospital president.
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.
“While this is great news for the region and any future patients who may require radiation therapy, unfortunately there will be a necessary inconvenience for a few of our current patients as we make the transition between equipment,” Baker explains.
July 10 marks the last day patients will receive radiation treatment on the current equipment. After this, there will be required down time while the current machine is dismantled and removed, and the area has the electrical upgrades and other renovations required for the new equipment. Time is also needed for the new equipment to be installed once it is delivered, followed by appropriate safety certification and staff training.
In all, this means that local radiation therapy will not be available for a little over two months. The plan is that patients will be able to get radiation treatments again at AR Gould by the end of September.
“We have a comprehensive plan in place to accommodate individual patient needs during this time,” says Naghmeh Isfahanian, MD, lead radiation oncologist at AR Gould Hospital. “Treatment plans will be individualized for each patient depending on the details regarding their diagnosis and cancer status. What it looks like for one person may be different than what it looks like for someone else.”
For those who require radiation as part of their treatment plan, the physicians have worked with the team at Lafayette Cancer Center to assure no disruption or delay in care. In fact, a few patients have already started being referred, since their treatment plan requires radiation treatments to continue past July 10, and it is best practice not to transfer care mid-treatment.
The cancer care teams in Presque Isle and Brewer are working together to make this transition as easy as possible. To help ease the challenges of the increase patient load in Brewer, radiation therapists and medical dosimetrist (those who map out a radiation treatment plan) will be shared between the two locations.
Dr. Isfahanian will be leading this clinical partnership from the Presque Isle side to ensure patient safety and continuity of care.
“I have been working closely with William Castrucci, MD, one of the Brewer radiation oncologists, and we will continue to discuss cases and keep communication open for any patients we share delivery of care for during our down time,” says Dr. Isfahanian.
AR Gould Hospital has taken additional steps to support patients requiring radiation treatments during this down time. They applied for and have just received a $10,000 grant from Maine Cancer Foundation to support patient expenses associated with having to travel for treatment.
The hospital has also partnered with Aroostook Regional Transportation System to assist with transporting patients from Presque Isle to Brewer for treatments, if needed. Specific details will be provided to patients who are referred to Brewer for treatment.
“We understand this may be hard for those who may need to travel, and we will do all we can to keep people local as long as it is safe for them to do so during this stage of their cancer journey,” reassures Dr. Isfahanian. “Individual conversations will be held with every single patient who will potentially be impacted during this window of time, and plans will be put in place based on decisions between the patients and their physicians.”
