Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center will install Leo Cancer Care technology to advance research into Upright Patient Positioning for Carbon Ion Therapy

Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, a renowned Japanese hospital, is set to install Leo Cancer Care’s demonstration upright patient positioning system to spearhead new research into the reproducibility of upright positioning and new immobilization techniques. 

Traditional heavy ion therapy is constrained by limited treatment angles and indications as a result of the patient being in the recumbent position for treatment. However, the Leo Cancer Care gantry-less solution that rotates the patient upright, promises to revolutionize the field by providing 360 degrees of freedom, potentially accessing currently unreachable cancers.  

The hospital aims to contribute to this transformative research, validating the future of upright positioning in carbon ion therapy. 

Dr. Ohno from Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center with the Leo Cancer Care team at PTCOG in Singapore.

Prof. Ohno quoted “The development of the upright irradiation system is a Copernican idea having the potential to be an innovative technology that simultaneously reduces the burden of patient positioning and the cost of equipment, and improves irradiation efficiency.”

Niek Schreuder quoted “The Leo Cancer Care upright patient positioning and imaging technologies will enable particle therapy facilities to treat patients using fixed horizontal beams deploying treatment plans that are equivalent or even better than plans using expensive and large rotating Gantries.  The Leo Cancer Care technologies enables advanced axial CT scanning at the treatment isocenter which has many benefits in terms of accurate patient positioning and detecting potential daily variations in the patient’s anatomy.”

This partnership comes shortly after CNAO (National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy) in Pavia, Italy, recognized as one of the most advanced oncology centres globally, finalized an agreement with Leo Cancer Care. CNAO will integrate Marie®, an upright patient positioning system combined with a vertical CT scanner, with its existing fixed carbon ion beam setup.  

Stephen Towe, CEO of Leo Cancer Care added: “Carbon Ion Radiation Therapy has huge promise for cancer patients all over the world but market adoption has been very slow given the size and cost of equipment. Seeing two new partnerships develop in this space in quick succession really shines a light on the ability for upright patient positioning to totally change the paradigm and I hope to see many more carbon ion centres developed as a result.” 

Please note: Leo Cancer Care’s upright patient positioning system recently gained 510(k) regulatory clearance in the United States for clinical use, with a similar process underway in Europe and Asia. Marie, including our upright CT scanner, is not yet clinically available.