Hospital brings state of the art cancer care close to home

Banner Independent Editor

The VitalBeam linear accelerator delivers powerful image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatments for cancer with pinpoint accuracy and precision.

In a promising development for cancer patients in Corinth and the Crossroads area, Magnolia Regional Health Center and the Cancer Center at Magnolia are installing the latest in cancer treatment with a state-of-the-art piece of equipment known as a linear accelerator called the VitalBeam system – technology that delivers powerful image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatments for cancer with pinpoint accuracy and precision.

MRHC CEO James Hobson said cancer care is a hallmark area of service for the hospital and they are focused on making it possible for cancer patients to receive the highest possible level of care in an environment that allows them to remain close to their families and maintain a high quality of life as they deal with their treatments.

Mr. Hobson said the need to travel for multiple cancer treatments can put a major strain on families and patients. The hospital's latest investments in treatment and imaging technology will help remove that burden from patients.

"It's a capability that we feel is important for people in our community to have access," he said.

Radiation Oncologist Micah Monaghan, MD explained there is a psychosocial aspect to caring for cancer patients. Studies have consistently shown that patients who can remain close to their family support systems and live as normal a life as possible have better outcomes.

The most recent piece of new technology is a state-of-the-art CT scanner that allows physicians to have a better view of the tumor or where the tumor was than ever before.

"If you can't see it or target it, you can't treat it well," he said.

The new scanner has a much larger bore size which means it's more comfortable for patients of all sizes and provides more space for patients to be positioned as needed while still being kept as comfortable as possible.

The scanner has also added the capability to take images showing the location of a tumor as the body moves while the person breathes. Many parts of the body shift constantly during respiration and by being able to track that movement, Dr. Monaghan said they can create a treatment program that better targets the specific area while sparing surrounding tissue and organs.

The next major upgrade coming to the hospital's cancer treatment program is a new state-of-the-art linear accelerator used for radiation treatment. The new system is scheduled to be in use by early September.

Dr. Monaghan explained the new equipment will allow them to provide treatment using higher doses in fewer sessions, reducing the overall treatment time for patients. It will also, in many cases, reduce the length of time each treatment will take, making it less uncomfortable for patients.

The equipment will also open the door to the capability to provide new treatment options and the ability to treat some types of tumors they currently can't treat locally.

Dr. Monaghan said the hospital is especially proud of its multi-disciplinary approach to cancer treatment. A team of specialists from all disciplines meets together to discuss each patient's plan of treatment and coordinate the treatment to ensure the best possible care for each individual patient.

Mr. Hobson said the improvements are all part of the hospital's mission to provide the highest quality of care and the latest technology in patient care close to home. He said they want to continue to upgrade technology to provide patients with access to the latest technology without having to travel and disrupt their lives.

"We want to continue to be able to do this close to home," he said.

Banner Independent Editor

Managing editor of the Daily Corinthian's sister newspaper, Booneville's Banner-Independent, Brant Sappington has been a member of the Daily Corinthian family since 2001.

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