Radiation Oncology

Radiation therapy (administered by radiation oncologists) is a common treatment for patients with cancer. The board-certified radiation oncologists at MaineHealth are committed to providing high-quality service to our patients.

What is radiation oncology?

Radiation oncology is the practice of medicine using radiation to treat cancer.  It uses X-rays to target and destroy cancer cells. Radiation is a vital modality of cancer therapy that can be used alone or in combination with other treatment options, such as chemotherapy or surgery. It can also be used to ease the symptoms of cancer and side effects of treatment.

Our radiation oncologists are a board-certified, specialized team of physicians and researchers dedicated to enhancing quality of life and lessening the side effects of cancer treatments.

Cancers treated with radiation oncology

Many types of cancer in children and adults are able to be treated effectively with radiation oncology, including:

• Brain, spinal cord, head, throat, neck, bladder, prostate, rectum, anus, cervix, uterus

• Cancer of the oral cavity, larynx and pharynx

• Breast cancer

• Non-Hodgkin’s and Hodgkin’s lymphomas

• Skin cancer

• Bone sarcomas and soft tissue

• Cancer that has metastasized especially to bone and brain

• Malignancies