Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center

Radiation Oncology

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy radiation for treating disease. It is an effective therapy for cancer by itself, but is often combined with surgery or chemotherapy, or both, for optimal treatment.

Radiation oncologists are doctors who have advanced training and experience in the evaluation and treatment of cancer patients using radiation generating equipment and radioactive materials. They are essential members of the cancer treatment physician team, and they contribute to the overall management of a cancer patient’s care.

Central Maine Medical Center’s Cynthia A. Rydholm Cancer Treatment Center offers several specific cancer treatments, including

• external beam irradiation –– high energy x-rays delivered by linear accelerators

• prostate brachytherapy –– the use of radioactive sources implanted directly into the prostate gland. 

• intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) –– highly focused external beam treatment used for specific cancers. With this treatment system, the radiation beam intensity is altered to minimize exposure to normal tissues while directing higher doses to the cancer.

CMMC’s radiation therapy center is dedicated in honor of the late Cynthia A. Rydholm, an Auburn businesswoman who provided significant financial support for the center’s development.