Maine Medical Center
banner cancer institute family

Gastrointestinal Cancer Care

Maine Medical Center provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for acute and chronic gastrointestinal (GI), hepatic, and pancreaticobiliary diseases, including all cancers of the digestive tract.

All specialists involved in the evaluation and management of GI cancers work together to determine the optimal evaluation and course of treatment for each patient. Oncologic surgeons, including Board certified colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists and other clinicians with specialized knowledge of these malignancies collaborate and meet weekly, sharing their expertise on each patient's case. A critical member of the team of experts is an experienced oncology-certified clinical patient navigator to help coordinate care on behalf of the patient.

The team's commitment to outstanding patient care is augmented by the latest advances in surgical, endoscopic and interventional radiology techniques. We stay on the leading edge of therapy by participating in clinical research, giving patients access to the latest treatment protocols through appropriate clinical trials that may not be available at other hospitals.

Our Services

Maine Medical Center provides a full range of patient evaluation and clinical care resources for colorectal, esophageal, liver and pancreatic malignancies, including:

  • A state-of-the-art endoscopy unit staffed by 12 sub-specialty trained gastroenterologists for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the digestive tract
  • Advanced endoscopic procedures including ERCP and EUS
  • Advanced technology used in the Pancreaticobiliary Center, such as the SpyGlass scope and SMASH biopsy technique that can allow immediate biopsy result to determine if a tumor is cancerous
  • Leading-edge interventional radiological procedures for the treatment of liver cancer including chemoembolization (the delivery of a targeted dose of chemotherapy directly to a tumor), and radiofrequency ablation (an image-guided technique that kills cancer cells by heating and destroying them)
  • A non-surgical approach used for ablation of Barrett's esophagus, which is the use of electrical energy to remove the diseased layer of cells from the esophagus. MMC was the first in Maine to provide this option that may eliminate the disease before it has the opportunity to progress to cancer.
  • Leslie Foreman, BSN, RN, OCN, (207) 396-8055
  • Gina Z. Blaszyk, BSN, RN, OCN, CHPN, (207) 662-1951