Global Pioneers Unite at Leo Cancer Care’s First User Meeting

Just days before the world’s largest radiation oncology meeting, ASTRO, we hosted our first-ever Upright Radiotherapy User Meeting, a milestone moment for Leo Cancer Care and for the growing community pioneering our upright solutions. 

Approximately 100 clinicians from across the globe joined us in Palo Alto, representing centers that are implementing (or soon will implement) our upright technology. What made this gathering truly unique was the diversity of modalities represented: protons, heavy ions, photons, FLASH, and BNCT, all united by a shared commitment to advancing upright patient positioning and imaging. 

Setting the Scene 

Imagine a warm, sunlit day in the Palo Alto hills. The setting, a serene golf club surrounded by rolling greens, provided a beautiful backdrop for lively discussions and shared vision. Our conference space opened onto a terrace where guests connected, networked, and enjoyed lunch in the California sunshine. 

Agenda Highlights 

Welcome and Thank You 

Stephen Towe, Chief Executive Officer, Leo Cancer Care

Stephen opened the event by sharing our vision to challenge the conventions of radiotherapy. He took a moment to thank all of those in the room for coming on this journey with us, pioneering with purpose. 

Overarching Vision: Upright Proton Therapy 

Upright Radiotherapy at Stanford: Back to the Future 

Billy W. Loo Jr., MD, PhD, Professor of Radiation Oncology, Stanford Medicine 

Billy took us on a journey through Stanford’s rich history of innovation, from the first medical linac to CyberKnife, RefleXion, and now the future of compact proton therapy. Stanford’s space constraints made a gantry proton therapy solution unfeasible, prompting their collaboration with Mevion and Leo Cancer Care. The result, the Mevion S250-FIT, integrates our upright patient positioning and imaging technology, a testament to necessity driving innovation.  

Upright Radiotherapy at UW Health 

Paul Harari, MD, Chair, Department of Human Oncology, UW–Madison
Ben Durkee, PhD, DABR, Director of Proton Therapy, UW Health
Carri Glide-Hurst, PhD, Director of Radiation Oncology Physics, UW Health
 

The UW Health team shared their vision for the new proton therapy center featuring both a traditional Hitachi gantry and a fixed-beam room with Leo Cancer Care’s upright system.
Dr. Glide-Hurst discussed early research and physics considerations using the upright CT scanner, while Dr. Durkee spoke about the operational impact and practicalities of introducing upright workflows into clinical environments. 

Bringing Proton Therapy to Florida’s West Coast: BayCare’s Innovative Approach 

Yu Chen, PhD, Medical Physicist, BayCare Health System

Dr Chen shared BayCare’s ongoing installation of the Mevion S250-FIT system and his forward-looking insights on upright proton arc therapy and online adaptive therapy, both made feasible by upright rotation and imaging capabilities at isocenter in the future. 

Upright Treatment Planning Workflow & Quality Assurance 

Redefining Radiotherapy Processes: Workflow and QA for Upright Treatments

Niek Schreuder, MSc, Chief Scientific Officer, Leo Cancer Care
 

Niek addressed one of the most common questions, how QA and workflow adapt when moving from a table to a chair? He showcased upcoming QA tools and innovations designed to simplify the entire process and ensure seamless integration into clinical routines. 

Immobilization: Getting to Grips with Upright Radiotherapy 

Luke Federspiel, Product Manager, CQ Medical
Shane Ikner, Clinical Services Manager, Leo Cancer Care
 

This interactive session engaged the audience in shaping the future of upright immobilization. Luke and Shane presented existing solutions such as backrests, arm supports, and prototypes before inviting attendees to ideate around key questions around enhancing comfort, repurposing existing designs across indications and blue sky thinking from other industries. The result was an energizing brainstorming session that sparked new ideas for future product development. 

Clinical Focus: Pediatric Treatments Upright

Considerations for Future Upright Pediatric Treatments 

Susie Hiniker, MD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Stanford Medicine
Yat Tsang, PhD, Medical Physicist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre 

Pediatric proton therapy remains a central focus due to its potential to reduce long-term side effects. Our shared goal is to minimize the need for daily anesthesia through interactivity, education, and distraction. 

Dr. Hiniker shared insights from the AVATAR project (Audio Visual Therapeutic Ambience in/for Radiotherapy), demonstrating its research success in reducing anesthesia use and their plans to expand its use into future upright treatments. Both centers are part of a pediatric research task group recently formed by Leo Cancer Care, shaping the agenda for future upright treatments for children. 

Where We Are Now & What’s Next: Research 

Charting the Path Forward: The Science, Vision, and Community Behind Upright Radiotherapy 

 Niek Schreuder, MSc, Chief Scientific Officer, Leo Cancer Care 

Niek reviewed recent research findings and outlined five independent research groups exploring upright treatment. He also shared his perspective on how AI could redefine radiotherapy, and how upright delivery provides a clean slate for intelligent, adaptive treatment models. 

Future Product Development 

From Innovation to Impact: Our Next Chapter in Cancer Care 

Rock Mackie, PhD, Co-Founder and Board Member, Leo Cancer Care
 

Rock, Leo’s co-founder and renowned innovator, spoke about the broader future of upright imaging and radiology, highlighting opportunities in upright cancer screening already being explored with partners around the world. 

Exclusive Product Launch: Grace 

Stephen Towe, CEO, Leo Cancer Care
Rock Mackie, PhD, Co-Founder, Leo Cancer Care 

Our clinical partners were the first to witness the unveiling of Grace, our Upright Photon Therapy solution before we revealed it to the world at ASTRO. Named in honor of Grace Hopper, who famously said, “The most dangerous phrase in language is, ‘But we’ve always done it this way,’” the product embodies Leo Cancer Care’s mission to challenge convention and reimagine radiotherapy. 

The launch video received an enthusiastic response, marking a defining moment for the future of upright treatments. 

Watch the launch video here

Implementation of Upright Photon Therapy 

Future-Ready Oncology: Bringing Upright Treatment to Life at Cone Health 

 Wendy Kaegi, RT(T), MBA, Director of Radiation Oncology, Cone Health
 

Cone Health, a community-based network in North Carolina, joined the Upright Photon Alliance in October 2024, a global research collaboration investigating Grace’s potential to improve patient outcomes.
Wendy described their bold goal to start treatment within 24 hours of diagnosis, enabled by rethinking workflow and leveraging future upright technology. Their story reflects that upright radiotherapy is not just for large academic centers, it is a patient-centered innovation poised for broad clinical impact. 

Closing & Celebration 

Stephen Towe, CEO, Leo Cancer Care 

The day concluded with a relaxed wine tasting and networking event, featuring local Californian wines and a sommelier-led tasting, the perfect setting to reflect on an inspiring day of collaboration and innovation. 

Looking Ahead 

This inaugural Upright RT Summit captured the momentum and enthusiasm surrounding upright radiotherapy. The engagement, energy, and depth of discussion reaffirmed the belief that this simple shift, from lying down to upright, has the power to reshape cancer care. 

A heartfelt thank you to all who attended. Here’s to next year, when we’ll be discussing first patient treatments, clinical data, and a growing body of research driving upright radiotherapy forward. 

Onwards and upwards.