NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 2026 — Mevion Medical Systems, a leader in compact proton therapy solutions, highlighted its continued commitment to expanding access to advanced radiation therapy at the National Proton Conference in Nashville. The company hosted a featured lunchtime symposium and participated in an Ignite session, bringing together clinical leaders and innovators to discuss the future of proton therapy.
On March 20, Mevion hosted a well-attended lunchtime symposium titled “Upgrade Strategies for Linac and Proton Vaults: Renewing Radiation Therapy Without Interrupting Care.” Moderated by Lionel Bouchet, PhD, SVP of Commercial Development at Mevion Medical Systems, the session focused on practical, real-world strategies for modernizing radiation therapy infrastructure while maintaining continuity of patient care.
The symposium featured expert perspectives from leaders at Loma Linda University Medical Center, Atlantic Health, and Stanford Medicine, highlighting how institutions are upgrading active programs without interrupting treatment delivery.
“If we look at the evolution of proton therapy, from the first multi-room center at Loma Linda over 35 years ago, to nearly 50 proton centers in the U.S. today… enabled in large part by single-room technology, to a future where proton therapy can be delivered in a LINAC vault, we are seeing a clear trajectory toward greater accessibility, scalability, and integration into everyday clinical practice,” said Tina Yu, PhD, CEO of Mevion Medical Systems.
The discussion reflected a broader industry shift toward more flexible and scalable radiation therapy infrastructure. Panelists emphasized how compact proton systems are enabling incremental upgrades, continuous operation, and seamless integration within existing radiation oncology environments, allowing providers to modernize without disrupting patient care.
Over the past two decades, Mevion has played a key role in advancing this transformation, establishing strong market leadership in compact proton therapy. Today, 50 percent of clinical operating single-room compact proton centers in the United States use Mevion systems, with significant global adoption, including in China. The company has also set a new operational standard, achieving installation and ramp-up in as little as six months from accelerator delivery to customer acceptance.
These themes were reinforced by clinical leaders participating in the symposium.
Billy W. Loo Jr., MD, PhD, FASTRO, FACR, Professor, Director of Thoracic Radiation Oncology, and Co-Director of Particle Therapy, Department of Radiation Oncology at Stanford Medicine and member of the Stanford Cancer Institute, highlighted the importance of long-term scalability and flexibility in radiation oncology infrastructure. As proton therapy becomes more integrated into multi-modality departments, providers can pursue incremental upgrades, maintain continuous operations, and better align technology investments with patient needs.
Lydia Nadeau, RN, MBA, FACHE, Executive Director of Cancer Care at Atlantic Health, emphasized that the ability to bring proton therapy into an existing LINAC vault can significantly expand what is possible for health systems. This approach enables institutions to evolve their capabilities without disrupting patient care while accelerating the delivery of advanced treatments to more patients.
Judy Chatigny, RN, MSN, PHN, Chief of Oncology & Radiology Services, Loma Linda University Medical Center; Associate Director for Administration, Loma Linda University Cancer Center; and Administrator, Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, reinforced that maintaining continuity of care remains a top priority as centers modernize their technology. Integrating proton therapy into existing clinical environments is increasingly seen as a practical pathway to expand access while sustaining high-quality patient care.
Stanley “Skip” Rosenthal, PhD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs at Mevion, highlighted the evolution of proton therapy toward greater accessibility and efficiency. He noted how advances in compact system design, upright patient positioning, and technologies such as DirectARC and adaptive aperture are enabling faster, more precise treatments. Rosenthal also emphasized the role of systems like the MEVION S250-FIT in enabling proton therapy within existing LINAC vaults, supporting continuous clinical operations during upgrades.
In addition to the symposium, Mevion experts contributed to the conference’s Ignite session with a presentation titled “Compact Proton Systems and the Future of Arc Delivery.”
Presented by Lionel Bouchet, PhD, and Mel Piantino, MS, DABR, Director of Product Innovation & Clinical Solutions at Mevion, the session highlighted Mevion’s DirectARC™ technology and how compact proton systems are enabling new treatment paradigms, including proton arc delivery.
“Compact system design is unlocking entirely new possibilities for how we deliver proton therapy,” said Lionel Bouchet, PhD, SVP of Commercial Development, North America at Mevion. “With DirectARC and our direct beam architecture, we are enabling more efficient, clinically practical delivery and creating a pathway for advanced techniques like proton arc therapy in the clinic.”
The presentation emphasized the advantages of Mevion’s direct beam approach, including fast energy layer switching and streamlined delivery, which are critical to making arc-based proton therapy clinically viable. These capabilities support improved treatment efficiency, optimized dose distribution, and seamless integration into existing clinical workflows.
“DirectARC represents an important step forward in how proton therapy can be delivered,” said Mel Piantino, MS, DABR, Director of Product Innovation & Clinical Solutions at Mevion. “By combining fast layer switching with a compact system design, we can significantly enhance treatment speed and precision while maintaining the flexibility needed for real-world clinical use.”
Mevion’s presence at NAPT 2026 underscored its mission to make proton therapy more accessible and practical for healthcare providers worldwide.
“Expanding access to high-quality proton therapy has been our mission from the beginning,” added Yu. “By enabling solutions that integrate into existing infrastructure, we’re helping providers adopt proton therapy in a clinically and operationally sustainable way.”
With solutions designed for integration into existing facilities, Mevion continues to support hospitals in expanding advanced cancer care without disrupting ongoing treatment, helping advance proton therapy toward becoming a standard of care.
