Leo Cancer Care is using ASTRO 2025 to launch Grace, the company's upright photon therapy system. Grace is named after American computer scientist and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, who famously said, "The most dangerous phrase in language is 'But we've always done it this way.'" The name reflects Leo Cancer Care's mission to challenge the conventions of radiation therapy.
Grace will deliver conventional X-ray radiation therapy with patients positioned upright, a natural posture that growing global research indicates may support more consistent anatomical positioning and organ stability compared with conventional supine treatments. Patients who have experienced the technology report that the upright approach also creates a more connected and comfortable experience.
Stephen Towe, Co-Founder and CEO of Leo Cancer Care, commented: "Leo Cancer Care is already known for delivering upright particle therapy technology, and over the past few years we have seen a real paradigm shift as a result. Grace represents a return to our original company focus of delivering more cost-effective photon treatments to a global stage without sacrificing on treatment quality. Our technology has always been bold, but we are pioneering with purpose and that purpose is to put the patient truly back at the center of their treatments."
The system will integrate a fan beam CT scanner at the treatment isocenter, enabling planning-quality imaging throughout the treatment workflow, paving the way for online adaptive radiotherapy in the future. The solution also features a large, ultra-fast multi-leaf collimator, challenging conventional MLC speeds currently on the market.
Grace will also be compatible with RaySearch Laboratories' RayStation®, the first treatment planning system to incorporate support for upright radiation therapy, as well as RayCare®, the next-generation oncology information system.