Jerusalem, Israel: P-Cure, a supplier of compact, gantry-less proton therapy systems, today announced the first-ever prospective clinical results demonstrating the feasibility, safety, and early efficacy of gantry-less upright proton therapy for lung cancer re-irradiation—an area of critical unmet need in the most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide.

The P-Cure center is the first and only facility in the world to routinely deliver proton therapy to patients using its upright technology. In partnership with Hadassah Medical Center, the facility has for almost three years pioneered and proven the clinical viability of its compact, gantry-less system.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death globally, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year and a growing population of long-term survivors who may later require additional local treatment. As systemic therapies improve survival, the clinical demand for safe and effective thoracic re-irradiation is increasing, yet remains severely constrained by toxicity risks to vital organs.
The study was conducted by Hadassah Medical Center and represents a historic milestone for radiation oncology, providing the first prospective clinical evidence worldwide supporting upright, image-guided proton therapy delivered without a rotating gantry in thoracic re-irradiation.

Thoracic re-irradiation is among the most challenging indications in cancer care due to cumulative radiation exposure to critical organs such as the lungs, heart, esophagus, and spinal cord—a challenge particularly pronounced in lung cancer patients, who often present with compromised baseline pulmonary function. Until now, no prospective clinical data had been published demonstrating the use of gantry-less upright proton therapy in this high-risk patient population.

The interim analysis included ten patients with recurrent thoracic malignancies, the majority diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, all of whom had previously received definitive radiotherapy. Patients were treated using upright, image-guided intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) delivered on a compact, gantry-less P-Cure proton therapy system.

All patients completed treatment without interruption. At three months post-treatment, local control within the re-irradiated volume was 100%, with complete metabolic response, partial response, or stable disease observed in all evaluable patients. Acute toxicity was predominantly mild (grade 1–2), with only one reported grade 3 hematologic event. Importantly, patient-reported quality of life remained stable, with no clinically meaningful deterioration—a particularly significant finding in lung cancer, where treatment-related morbidity often limits therapeutic options.

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