Sidney Health Center Installs Montana’s First TomoTherapy Unit

Sidney Health Center expanded its cancer care services to include radiation therapy in January 2011. The first of its kind in Montana, Sidney Health Center installed a TomoTherapy Hi-Art radiation treatment system, which is one of the most advanced cancer treatment systems in the area. In fact, the next closest unit is located in Rapid City, SD.

“The new radiation therapy service has been well-received by the community and the most exciting thing is the ability to treat cancer patients close to home. It alleviates the additional stress of having to travel long distances to receive top-notch care,” stated Rick Haraldson, Sidney Health Center CEO.

Unlike traditional radiation therapy equipment, the TomoTherapy system combines CT scan imaging with treatment delivery, ensuring the most accurate radiation treatment with the fewest side effects. Every time a patient comes for treatment, he/she gets a CT image. The built in CT scanner allows the radiation oncologist, Dr. Lyle Harrison, the ability to evaluate the tumor daily and adapt the treatment to account for tumor shrinkage and to minimize common side effects including dry mouth, taste alterations, esophagitis, weight loss, tissue fibrosis, bladder/bowel irritation, skin redness/blistering and hair loss.

Another unique quality of TomoTherapy is that it can treat multiple tumors at once as well as complex tumor shapes. In short, it offers the most sophisticated form of IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) with the greatest precision, the fewest side effects to normal tissues, and ultimately, the best outcomes.

The first cancer patients received radiation therapy treatment in the newly constructed cancer center in Sidney the first week in January. To date, 60 patients have been referred for radiation treatment.

Reflecting on the year, Dr. Harrison stated, “It has been a very exciting and rewarding year. TomoTherapy is an amazing piece of equipment that has allowed us to treat some very complicated oncology cases that otherwise would have required a referral to a larger institution.”

Harrison also noted his passion as a radiation oncologist is to get patients through treatment with as few side effects as possible and TomoTherapy allows for that.

“It has been an awesome journey and my heartfelt thanks goes out to my staff, Sidney Health Center, and the community, for giving me this amazing opportunity to provide this level of oncology care in the MonDak,” commented Harrison.

The Foundation for Community Care continues to raise funds for Phase II of the project, which is to relocate chemotherapy and provide a separate, private entrance to the center. This phase is dependent on support from the community and is projected to cost $1.4 million.

Sidney Health Center has been offering outpatient oncology care since 1989 and currently serves 42 patients including 27 active oncology patients. This essential service provides prescribed chemotherapy and IV therapy treatments as well as education and support to patients and their families.