Overview of Services at The John A. DeQuattro Community Cancer Center
A primary focus of the cancer services provided at The John A. DeQuattro Community Cancer Center is radiation therapy, in which high doses of radiation are used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
Radiation therapy may be external or internal. External radiation, the type most often used, comes from a machine outside the body and is usually given on an outpatient basis. Internal radiation is implanted into or near the tumor in small capsules or other containers.
The DeQuattro Cancer Center features leading-edge radiation therapy procedures including:
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), a highly sophisticated treatment involving software and medical imaging technology to allow radiation to be more precisely focused on tumors
- Brachytherapy, a high-tech procedure in which tiny radioactive "seeds" are implanted directly into the body, destroying the cancerous tissue while having as little impact as possible on healthy tissue
The Cancer Center also houses the practice of the cancer specialists (oncologists) on the ECHN medical staff, who provide a full range of medical oncology services including diagnosis and treatment planning.
Support Services
Our high-tech radiation therapy services are joined by various support services for patients and their families including:
- Nutrition support (in which dietitians plan individualized nutrition plans based on each person's need and lifestyle)
- Social services (to help with the emotional and financial stresses of cancer)
- Pain management (to help relieve discomfort from cancer or its treatment)
- Pastoral care (for spiritual needs)
- Hospice care (to support and care for terminally ill patients)
- Home care (to help with symptom management, rehabilitation and coping skills, among others)
- Information about cancer (through its American Cancer Society resource library)
American Cancer Society's Resource Center
The American Cancer Society maintains a resource center across the street from The John A. DeQuattro Community Cancer Center in Manchester that offers a wide range of information and support for people with cancer and their families.
Visitors are welcome at the resource center, which includes literature, books, and videos that can be borrowed. Computers are available to access the American Cancer Society's vast information database, which include on-line support groups. There also is information about local support groups.
The resource center has wigs, head coverings, and prostheses available to patients. Also available is information about the Cancer Society's "Road to Recovery" program, which offers transportation to and from appointments.
The resource center is located at 21 Alpine Street and is open weekdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The local telephone number is (860) 643-2168 and is answered around the clock. Calls after hours are answered by the American Cancer Society's main headquarters, which also can be reached at a toll-free number, 1-800-ACS-2345 or at www.cancer.org.