Vim & Vigor - Summer 2015 - Phelps County Regional Medical Center - (Page 54)

Dr. Ellerin brings over 15 years of radiation oncology experience to the cancer care team at the Delbert Day Cancer Institute (DDCI) at Phelps County Regional Medical Center (PCRMC). Dr. Ellerin is skilled in all areas of radiation oncology but has special interests in the treatment of cancers of the prostate, skin, bowel, head and neck, and lymphomas. Radiation Oncology's Major Progress Today's radiation oncology is drastically different from radiation oncology from 20 years ago, Dr. Ellerin says. Reasons for the change include improvements in the treatment of cancer, advancements in technology and dosage, and collaboration across multiple healthcare disciplines. "We understand cancer far better today than we did 20 years ago," Dr. Ellerin says, "and we are far more sophisticated in combining treatment options using radiation, medical oncology and surgery to achieve better results." Dr. Ellerin says radiation machinery and dosing has become more precise, and uses smaller, targeted beams of radiation, which benefits the patient because it targets cancerous tissue and not healthy tissue. Also, he says, the sheer number of radiation delivery options has increased. "For example, stereotactic body radiotherapy [an advanced imaging technique that delivers a targeted radiation dose to a tumor with millimeter precision] was not available 20 years ago but is commonplace now," says Dr. Ellerin. Alleviating Patient Concerns A cancer diagnosis often creates fear and uncertainty, and Dr. Ellerin and his staff are available to help alleviate those fears. "Traditionally, a common concern for cancer patients is the side effects associated with treatments," says Dr. Ellerin, "but, since radiation 54 SU M M ER 2015 oncology is a targeted treatment, the side effects are dependent on the part of the body where the radiation beam is aimed. For example, treatment to the head area may result in hair loss, whereas treatment to the stomach area may lead to nausea but not hair loss." As side effects are different for each person, patients and their families are encouraged to voice their concerns with their healthcare team. "Our comprehensive cancer services team works closely with each patient to monitor symptoms," says Dr. Ellerin. "We are available to provide support to our patients to help them manage side effects and get them back to doing what they enjoy." A Community Partnership Dr. Ellerin likes living outside of a larger city and thinks of Rolla as "a little oasis in Missouri." He says the close ties between PCRMC, the Missouri University of Science & Technology and the MO-Sci Corp. are beneficial to the community and beyond, as these partnerships successfully yield cutting-edge ideas, treatments and technology. The collaborative spirit within the community was integral in Dr. Ellerin's decision to practice with the PCRMC Physicians Group. "Along with the leading technologies and resources in Rolla, I was also impressed with the supportive community that surrounds PCRMC and the ability of local residents and patrons to provide funding for the new DDCI building in such a short amount of time," he says. Dr. Ellerin says partnerships are also important when treating cancer. "Network affiliations with other cancer centers are helpful for patients' treatments and the overall fight against cancer, and professional associations increase the DDCI's credibility as a major cancer institute in its own right," he says. "I believe that PCRMC is innovative in its ability to collaborate and work with other organizations, both GO TO ... Services Near You Want to know more about the radiation oncology services available through the Delbert Day Cancer Institute at PCRMC? Please visit pcrmc.com/ medical-services/cancer-care. http://www.pcrmc.com/medical-services/cancer-care

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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2015 - Phelps County Regional Medical Center