The Jerusalem-based P-Cure has completed the conversion of a conventional linear accelerator (LINAC) vault into a proton therapy treatment room at the Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center (SPHIC), a project the company describes as the first of its kind.

The renovation involved retrofitting an existing radiotherapy bunker rather than constructing a new, purpose-built proton facility. Historically, proton therapy centers have required large, multistory structures and significant capital investment. By contrast, the Shanghai project converted a basement-level LINAC room within SPHIC’s Pudong New Area campus into a dedicated proton suite.

The work focused on the northern of two existing LINAC rooms. According to the company, the renovation required demolition, structural expansion, shielding upgrades and reinforcement to accommodate the proton system. The finished suite has a net area of about 149 square meters and includes the accelerator vault, treatment room, maze, control room and patient areas.
The installation features P-Cure’s gantry-less Proton Therapy System, which supports upright and supine treatment positions and uses pencil beam scanning. The modular design is intended to fit within the footprint of a renovated LINAC room, limiting the need for heavy construction and large-scale structural changes.

All major equipment has been installed, and the site is entering commissioning and clinical validation.

“This project demonstrates what is possible when advanced technology meets pragmatic clinical and engineering thinking,” said Michael Marash, CEO of P-Cure. “By transforming an existing linear accelerator facility into a world-class proton therapy center, we are lowering the barriers to adoption and enabling more hospitals to deliver highly precise, patient-centered cancer care.”

Zhiguang Wang, general manager of P-Cure China, said, “China has been at the forefront of particle therapy for more than a decade. This project represents a natural evolution toward compact, scalable solutions that meet the needs of modern hospitals. We are proud to support leading clinical centers in expanding access to proton therapy through innovative and efficient deployment models.”

SPHIC was the first center in China to introduce heavy ion therapy into routine clinical practice.

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