Portsmouth Regional Hospital expands cancer services with new radiation oncology suite

Portsmouth Regional Hospital (PRH) announced today construction of a new radiation oncology suite on its main campus, 333 Borthwick Ave, in Portsmouth. The project is expected to begin in November 2022.

“Adding Radiation Oncology to our cancer services at Portsmouth Regional Hospital will allow us to provide our cancer patients with full service cancer care, from diagnosis to surgical and medical treatment options, including chemotherapy and radiation,” said Dean M. Carucci, chief executive officer at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Getting a cancer diagnosis is a life-altering event, and we want to make the treatment and healing process as seamless and convenient as possible. Radiation oncology was the final service we needed to be able offer our patients the full spectrum of high-quality cancer care, close to home on the Seacoast. And soon we’ll be able to do that.”

“We are always grateful when we can keep our patients close to home for the care they need,” said Devon Evans, MD, medical director of hematology-oncology at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Having radiation oncology next door at the hospital will help ease anxiety and the burden of travel, which is good news for patients and their families.”  

“This is such an important service for our patients,” said Lauren Thompson, MD, medical director of surgical oncology at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Patients receiving radiation treatment are often at the hospital each day for weeks at a time, so having this service in their community, close to their support networks, is an enormous benefit for our patients, medically and emotionally.”

The new radiation oncology suite will be on the main hospital campus, 333 Borthwick Ave., Portsmouth, and will be located at the front of the building, to the left of the main entrance. It will include state-of-the art equipment to provide radiation treatment for most cancers, and will include a comfortable clinical area with a private front entrance and separate designated parking for radiation patients.

Construction is expected to take 12 to 14 months, with an anticipated opening date in late 2023.