After a year of construction, the first phase of the expansion project at Northwest Montana Radiation Oncology will be ready for patients on Tuesday, May 5.

The $7.7 million project updated, upgraded and nearly doubled the space at the Kalispell facility, which treats cancer patients with radiation.

Mark Skwarchuk, the facility’s medical physicist, said the upgrade was a massive one.

“Twelve years ago, [Kalispell Regional Medical Center] constructed a new standing radiation oncology structure,” he said. “That was with a linear accelerator and CT scanner and was dedicated for treatment of cancer with radiation. Since then, we have seen a growth in the number of patients that would benefit from radiation therapy. We’ve also seen a change in the technology and techniques in treating patients with cancer.”

The building expansion cost $1.75 million and the biggest expense — $5.95 million — came from new top-of-the line equipment. A second expansion phase is slated to start within the week and be done sometime in June.

More than 4,300 square feet were added to the facility, but a state-of-the art linear accelerator is the proverbial cherry on top. A linear accelerator directs a focused beam of radiation at a tumor to kill it.

The $3 million Varian TrueBeam STX now in the vault at the Oncology facility is impressive, intimidating and can match just about anything in the region.

“We’re the referral center for all the surrounding counties,” Skwarchuk said. “The new linear accelerator will allow for precise and focused treatment that is currently not offered in our community.”

The old accelerator has been upgraded, so the facility will theoretically be able to treat two patients on the accelerators at once and a third in the “four dimensional” CT scanner.

In a traditional CT (colloquially known as a CAT scan), a picture is taken that will freeze a tumor or abnormality in one place. If the tumor is anywhere near the diaphragm, it can move when the patient breathes. The new CT takes an image in several places while the patient breathes, pinpointing exactly where the bad stuff is. This can lessen extra “burn” on tissue around the tumor.

The technology has come a long way since the first days of radiation oncology.

Betty Munoz, a medical dosimetrist and radiation therapist, recalls when she started in the field, nearly 43 years ago.

“Back in the day of cobalt, we’d see patients with radiation burns,” she said. “You’d only see equipment like this in big university hospitals, where they could take up several floors. The fact that these are out in the community is huge.”

When a patient is diagnosed with cancer, more than half the time he or she is treated with radiation. Other methods include surgery and chemotherapy.

The accelerators at Northwest Montana Radiation Oncology can fire in a grid pattern, using a gradient to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible while obliterating tumors. This means patients with tumors in the brain and near the spinal column can typically be effectively treated in Kalispell rather than Seattle or Denver.

“Honestly, with the power of these machines, we could destroy any cancer,” Skwarchuk said. “But we of course have to be mindful of healthy tissue so we have to minimize harm from treatments.”

Skwarchuk’s job is to make sure the equipment is providing the proper dosages to the right areas. He, radiation therapists such as Munoz and the radiation oncologist work together to design a digital plan for treatment.

“We can design a treatment plan without having the patient lie down and take several photos from different angles,” Munoz said.

Other facets of the expansion include two new waiting areas, a nurses’ station which bridges the new and old sections of the facility, a new comfortable changing room for patients, several examination rooms and the second vault where the new accelerator is.

The next phase of the expansion will take around a month and will update the vault where the old accelerator currently resides.

Skwarchuk said he feels more Northwest Montana residents could benefit from the facility.

“Cancer patients are receiving and will continue to receive the highest level of care possible in our community,” he said. “We’re the first site in Montana to have the Varian TrueBeam, but really what this all means is that people in Montana can be treated for cancer while still staying in Montana and staying in their homes.”

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.