Boston – September 27, 2026 -- Leo Cancer Care has confirmed a dedicated pediatric program combining education, distraction and gamification technology, following the world's first pediatric treatments delivered on its upright Marie® positioning and imaging platform.
Stanford Medicine delivers first upright pediatric proton treatments in June 2026
Stanford Medicine treated the initial pediatric patients using the Mevion S250-FIT Proton Therapy System, which integrates Leo Cancer Care's Marie platform and RaySearch Laboratories' RayStation planning software. The early cases demonstrated that upright proton therapy is feasible across a wide pediatric age range, with anesthesia still available when clinically required.
Platform rotates seated patients instead of moving the radiation beam
Marie inverts conventional radiotherapy design: the beam remains fixed while a seated or semi-standing patient is rotated into position. Leo Cancer Care states the approach encourages active participation from children, which may reduce fear and increase a sense of control during treatment.
Program pairs AR education tools with a licensed Stanford distraction system
The pediatric package includes an augmented-reality platform allowing children to explore the treatment room remotely via phone or tablet before their first visit, a mascot called Leo the Lion, and a storybook titled "Toby's Magic Chair." Leo Cancer Care has also licensed AVATAR, a Stanford Medicine-developed radiolucent screen positioned in a child's line of sight to provide immersive distraction and reduce anesthesia use.
International task group publishes research roadmap on upright pediatric radiotherapy
A report titled "Upright positioning in pediatric radiotherapy: rationale, safety considerations and a research roadmap" has been published in Technical Innovations & Patient Support in Radiation Oncology. Authored by the Upright Radiotherapy Pediatric Task Group -- spanning radiation oncology, medical physics, radiation therapy, pediatric anesthesia and industry participants including Leo Cancer Care -- the report finds upright positioning may reduce distress for selected children, while noting pediatric-specific evidence remains limited. It calls for standardized, safety-led clinical workflows.
Pediatric patients remain proton therapy's top clinical indication with limited access
Leo Cancer Care notes that children represent the leading clinical application for proton therapy, yet have historically faced the least access to it. The company is presenting its clinical progress at booth 519 during the ASTRO 2026 Annual Meeting in Boston.