BayCare Health System in Florida becomes the second site to offer upright proton therapy using Mevion's compact system, Leo Cancer Care's upright positioning and imaging technology, and RaySearch's treatment planning software.

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The BayCare Proton Center has treated its first patient with upright proton therapy, marking an important milestone in its mission to bring advanced cancer care closer to the communities it serves.

The proton therapy treatment was delivered using the MEVION S250-FIT™, Mevion Medical Systems' compact proton therapy system, integrated with Marie®, Leo Cancer Care's upright patient positioning and CT imaging solution. The BayCare Proton Center, located at the Fred J. Woods Radiation Therapy Center on the campus of St. Joseph's Hospital In Tampa, FL, is the second clinical site in the world to offer upright proton therapy using the combined technologies.

BayCare's proton therapy solution is designed around an ultra-compact, fixed-beam proton accelerator combined with a rotational, upright, patient chair which fit inside a typical linear accelerator vault, offering hospitals a different approach to introducing proton therapy without the infrastructure traditionally associated with large, gantry-based proton installations.

Integrated with the MEVION S250-FIT™, Marie® changes another fundamental aspect of the traditional proton therapy environment: how the patient is positioned for treatment. Rather than positioning the patient horizontally on a conventional treatment table, Marie® enables patients to be positioned upright, either seated or perched, with integrated upright fan-beam CT imaging supporting the treatment workflow. This approach is designed to create a more patient-centered treatment experience, while also improving the working environment for radiation therapists by enabling face-to-face interaction with patients during positioning and treatment. Treatment plans are created using RaySearch Laboratories' comprehensive treatment planning system, RayStation®.

"Treating the first patient on our innovative proton therapy system marks a transformational milestone for BayCare Cancer Institute and, most importantly, for the patients and communities we serve," said John Greskovich, MD, Medical Director of the BayCare Department of Radiation Oncology. "Our patients In West Central Florida can now access proton therapy locally, reducing the need to travel further from home to receive this advanced form of cancer treatment."

"BayCare reaching this milestone is about much more than treating a first patient. It demonstrates what becomes possible when we rethink both the size of the proton therapy system and the way we position the patient," said Stephen Towe, CEO of Leo Cancer Care. "Together with Mevion, we are helping create a model that can bring advanced, patient-centered proton therapy into more hospitals and closer to the communities they serve."

"We designed the MEVION S250-FIT to challenge the traditional infrastructure requirements of proton therapy and make it possible for more hospitals," said Tina Yu, PhD, President and CEO of Mevion Medical Systems. "Seeing BayCare bring the FIT system into clinical use in a standard LINAC-sized vault, with Leo Cancer Care's Marie® integrated, shows what compact proton therapy with upright treatment can deliver."

BayCare Cancer Institute is part of BayCare Health System, a not-for-profit, academic health care system serving communities across Tampa Bay and West Central Florida.

About Leo Cancer Care

Leo Cancer Care is challenging the conventional delivery of radiotherapy through an upright approach that places the patient at the centre of treatment. Its Marie® solution combines 360-degree upright patient positioning with integrated CT imaging and can be paired with a fixed particle beam. By removing the need for a large rotating gantry, the technology is designed to reduce the space and infrastructure required for advanced radiotherapy while supporting a more natural and patient-focused treatment experience. Learn more by visiting: leocancercare.com.

About BayCare Cancer Institute

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit academic health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals, including a children's hospital, and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and West Central Florida regions. The system is West Central Florida's largest provider of cardiac, behavioral health and pediatric services and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare's diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida's largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. BayCare also sponsors BayCarePlus®, a Medicare Advantage program. BayCare's mission is to improve the health of all it serves through community-owned healthcare services that 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 for cancer care. Dedicated to advancing the design and accessibility of proton therapy worldwide, Mevion pioneered the single-room platform and continues to further the science and application of proton therapy. Since 2013, Mevion compact proton therapy single-room systems have been used by leading cancer centers for treating patients. Mevion's series of products includes the MEVION S250i® and MEVION S250-FIT™ with HYPERSCAN® pencil beam scanning. Mevion is headquartered in Littleton, Massachusetts, with a presence in Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit mevion.com.

About RaySearch Laboratories

RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ) is a medical technology company that develops innovative software solutions for improved cancer treatment. RaySearch markets the RayStation®* treatment planning system (TPS) and the oncology information system (OIS) RayCare®*. The most recent additions to the RaySearch product line are RayIntelligence®*. RayIntelligence is an oncology analytics system (OAS) which enables cancer clinics to collect, structure, and analyze data. RaySearch's software has been sold to over 1,200 clinics in 54 countries. The company was founded in 2000 as a spin-off from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the share has been listed on Nasdaq Stockholm since 2003 (STO: RAY B). More information is available at raysearchlabs.com

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SOURCE Leo Cancer Care