BayCare Health System in Florida has become the second institution to offer standing proton therapy, utilizing Mevion’s compact system, Leo Cancer Care’s standing positioning and imaging technology, and RaySearch’s treatment planning software.
Tampa, Florida, November 5 /PRNewswire/ — The BayCare Proton Center has completed its first patient treatment using upright proton therapy, marking a significant milestone in its mission to bring advanced cancer care closer to the communities it serves.
This proton therapy utilizes the MEVION S250-FIT™, Mevion Medical Systems’ compact proton therapy system, integrated with Leo Cancer Care’s Marie® upright patient positioning and CT imaging solution. The BayCare Proton Center, located within the Fred J. Woods Radiation Therapy Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital campus in Tampa, Florida, is the second clinical site worldwide to offer upright proton therapy using these combined technologies.
BayCare’s proton therapy solution is designed around an ultra-compact, fixed-beam proton accelerator paired with a rotatable standing patient chair, enabling installation within a standard linear accelerator vault and offering hospitals an alternative to traditional large rotating gantry-based proton systems.
After integration with the MEVION S250-FIT™, Marie® transforms another fundamental aspect of traditional proton therapy environments: patient positioning during treatment. Unlike conventional systems that require patients to lie horizontally on a treatment couch, Marie® enables patients to be treated in an upright position—either standing, seated, or semi-reclined—supported by integrated standing fan-beam CT imaging to facilitate the treatment workflow. This solution is designed to deliver a more patient-centered experience while improving the work environment for radiation therapists by enabling face-to-face interaction with patients during positioning and treatment. The treatment plan is generated by RayStation®, the comprehensive treatment planning system from RaySearch Laboratories.
Dr. John Greskovich, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at BayCare, said: “Treating our first patient on our innovative proton therapy system marks a transformative milestone for BayCare Cancer Institute—and, more importantly, for the patients and communities we serve. Patients in central Florida can now access proton therapy locally, without having to travel long distances for this advanced cancer treatment.”
Stephen Towe, CEO of Leo Cancer Care, said: “BayCare’s achievement of this milestone means far more than treating its first patient. It demonstrates the possibilities that emerge when we rethink the size of proton therapy systems and how patients are positioned. Together with Mevion, we are helping to create a model that brings advanced, patient-centered proton therapy to more hospitals and closer to the communities they serve.”
Dr. Tina Yu, President and CEO of Mevion Medical Systems, said: “We designed the MEVION S250-FIT to challenge the traditional infrastructure requirements of proton therapy and enable more hospitals to adopt it. Seeing BayCare implement the FIT system clinically and integrate Leo Cancer Care’s Marie® within a room sized for a standard linear accelerator demonstrates the impact of compact proton therapy with upright treatment.”
The BayCare Cancer Institute is part of BayCare Health System, a nonprofit academic healthcare system serving the Tampa Bay and central Florida communities.
About Leo Cancer Care
Leo Cancer Care is challenging traditional radiation therapy delivery with a standing-based approach that puts patients at the center of treatment. Its Marie® system combines 360-degree standing patient positioning with integrated CT imaging and is compatible with fixed particle beams. By eliminating the need for large rotating gantries, this technology aims to reduce the space and infrastructure required for advanced radiation therapy while enabling a more natural, patient-centered treatment experience. Learn more at leocancercare.com.
About BayCare Cancer Institute
BayCare is a leading nonprofit academic medical system that provides comprehensive services to individuals and families through 16 hospitals, including a children’s hospital, and hundreds of convenient locations across the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. It is the largest provider of cardiac, behavioral health, and pediatric services in central Florida, and its medical group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the region’s largest physician organizations. BayCare’s diverse network of outpatient services includes laboratories, imaging centers, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, health centers, and BayCare HomeCare, one of Florida’s largest home care providers. BayCare also sponsors BayCarePlus®, a Medicare Advantage program. BayCare’s mission is to improve the health of the communities it serves through community-owned healthcare and to set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare.org.
About Mevion Medical Systems
Mevion Medical Systems is a leading provider of compact proton therapy systems in the field of cancer care. The company is committed to advancing the design and accessibility of proton therapy worldwide, having pioneered the single-room platform and continuing to drive innovation in the science and application of proton therapy. Since 2013, Mevion’s compact single-room proton therapy systems have been used by leading cancer centers to treat patients. Mevion’s product portfolio includes the MEVION S250i® and the MEVION S250-FIT™ with HYPERSCAN® pencil beam scanning. Mevion is headquartered in Littleton, Massachusetts, with operations in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit mevion.com.
About RaySearch Laboratories
RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ) is a medical technology company developing innovative software solutions to improve cancer treatment. RaySearch sells the RayStation®* treatment planning system (TPS) and the oncology information system (OIS) RayCare®*. The latest addition to its product line is RayIntelligence®*, a comprehensive oncology analytics system (OAS) designed to help cancer clinics collect, organize, and analyze data. RaySearch’s software has been adopted by more than 1,200 clinics across 54 countries. Founded in 2000 as a spin-off from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, the company has been listed on Nasdaq Stockholm since 2003 (STO: RAY B). For more information, visit raysearchlabs.com.