Radiation Oncology

Tumors are made up of cells that are reproducing at abnormally high rates. Radiation therapy specifically acts against cells that are reproducing rapidly. Normal cells are programmed to stop reproducing (or dividing) when they come into contact with other cells. In the case of a tumor, this stop mechanism is missing, causing cells to continue to divide over and over. It is the DNA of the cell that makes it capable of reproducing. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to damage the DNA of cells, thereby killing the cancer cells, or at least stopping them from reproducing.

Radiation therapy is considered to be a "local" therapy, meaning it treats a specific localized area of the body. There are two main types of radiation therapy: external radiation therapy, where a beam of radiation is directed from outside the body, and internal radiation therapy where a source of radioactivity is placed inside the body near the tumor.

Forms of Radiation Delivery Available:

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) delivers radiation via small beamlets varying in intensity and computed by an advanced inverse planning system which minimizes damage to healthy tissue.

TomoTherapy delivers a very sophisticated form of IMRT and integrated treatment planning, delivery and dose verification via CT scanning in one system.

Brachytherapy, also known as internal radiation, involves placing radioactive materials into a tumor or its surrounding tissue.

Radioimmunotherapy is a form of targeted therapy where radiolabels antibodies are injected into the body and circulate in the bloodstream until they locate and bind to the surface of cancer cells. The cancer cells are then destroyed by the radiation carried in the antibody.

McLaren Cancer Institute-McLaren also offers radiation oncology treatment at the McLaren Cancer Institute facilities in Owosso and Lapeer.

Medical Oncology and Hematology

Services Offered: 

Biologic Therapy helps the immune system to function better by using substances that occur naturally in your body. The goal of biologic therapy is to enhance the body’s natural defense and its ability to fight cancer.

Chemotherapy is used to describe medications that treat cancer.  Cancerous tumors are made up of cells that are reproducing at abnormally high rates. Normal cells know to stop reproducing (or dividing) when they come into contact with other cells. In the case of a tumor, this stop mechanism is missing, causing cells to continue to divide over and over. The RNA or DNA of a cell tells it how to replicate itself, and chemotherapy works by destroying this RNA or DNA. 

Clinical Trials are select cancer treatments not yet approved for widespread use. Select cancer care facilities meeting strict criteria are granted special privileges to test promising new therapies. McLaren Cancer Institute-McLaren is an approved site for clinical trials through the National Cancer Institute and other distinguished organizations.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Some cancers are "fueled" by hormones, and may rely upon them to grow. Hormone therapy is used to block the action of these hormones which could possibly stop the cancer from growing.

Targeted Therapy is a general term that refers to a medication or drug that targets a specific pathway in the growth and development of a tumor. The targets themselves are typically various molecules (or small particles) in the body that are known or suspected to play a role in cancer formation. 

Genetic Counseling is the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease. 

IV Therapy: Medical Oncology/Hematology staff also administers medicine or supplements intravenously to treat health conditions besides cancer.

Many skilled surgeons are available at McLaren. While treatment options are a choice between a surgeon and patient, McLaren is equipped to accommodate most all procedures from conventional to the most progressive.

Several surgeons now utilize the daVinci robotic surgical system for qualifying cancer cases. The robotic surgical system provides specially-trained surgeons to perform minimally-invasive surgery with a clearer field of vision and increased surgical dexterity. These benefits result in less pain and a quicker recovery time for patients compared to open surgery.

McLaren supports advancing surgical techniques for cancer patients. Sukamal Saha, M.D., FACS, FRCS-C, a surgical oncologist at McLaren-Flint, has pioneered a diagnostic surgical technique that has saved the lives of many colo-rectal cancer patients. This technique referred to as Sentinel Node Mapping (SLN), uses a dye injected into the sentinel node near the cancer to track the extent to which the disease has spread. This technique is now used by physicians world-wide. Dr. Saha continues his life-saving research, with support from physicians and support staff at McLaren.

Surgical Oncology Fellowship
Under the direction of Dr. Saha, McLaren-Flint Med Center offers a Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program for candidates displaying a keen interest in pursuing a career in surgical oncology.  The two-year program offers solid exposure to sub specialties, vast clinical and basic science research leading to presentations and publications, pre-operative, diagnostic work-up, surgical technique, and experience in lymphatic mapping.  The program accepts one to two fellows each year.