St. Anne’s Hospital adds HDR radiation therapy

FALL RIVER – St. Anne’s Hospital is now offering high-dose-rate (HDR) radiation therapy at its Hudner Oncology Center, making it possible for cancer patients to go through a round of treatment in five days rather than the more traditional six weeks used in external radiation.
HDR delivers precisely calculated high-dose radiation directly to a tumor or tumor bed, with minimal risk to adjacent organs. This is the first time that HDR is available in Fall River, the hospital said. It will be used primarily for gynecologic cancers and is considered most effective for uterine and cervical cancer.
The hospital’s cancer services also include additional radiation and support services at The Oncology Center in North Dartmouth, Mass., and consultation services in Newport. The oncology practice is staffed by board-certified medical and radiation oncologists affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who are members of the faculty of Harvard Medical School.