LITTLETON, Mass. — UNC Health has selected Mevion Medical Systems’ MEVION S250-FIT™ Proton Therapy System as part of an effort to expand access to advanced radiation treatment using compact, single-room technology, the company announced.
The decision reflects a broader shift among leading academic health systems toward right-sized proton therapy programs that emphasize integration with existing facilities, faster patient access, and long-term financial sustainability.
Proton therapy allows for highly precise radiation delivery while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue, making it especially valuable for tumors located near critical organs and for complex adult and pediatric cases. Compact, single-room systems such as the MEVION S250-FIT are designed to lower infrastructure demands while maintaining advanced clinical capabilities.
UNC Health plans to install the system within an existing linear accelerator treatment room, allowing proton therapy to be incorporated into its current oncology environment. The installation will also include an upright patient positioning system from Leo Cancer Care, intended to provide greater flexibility in patient setup and support future clinical workflows. In addition, the platform includes DirectARC™ delivery capability, enabling efficient beam delivery and streamlined treatment processes.
“For patients and families facing cancer, access matters — access to the right care, at the right time, without unnecessary burden,” said Jean Wright, MD, chair of the UNC Department of Radiation Oncology. “By offering innovative proton therapy here in the Triangle, we’re bringing highly advanced treatment closer to home and integrating it into the care environment patients already know and trust.”
Mevion Medical Systems’ leadership said the selection highlights changing priorities among health systems seeking to adopt proton therapy without the scale and cost historically associated with large, multi-room facilities.
“Health systems today are seeking ways to introduce proton therapy without the financial and operational burden historically associated with large facilities,” said Tina Yu, Ph.D., CEO and President of Mevion Medical Systems. “UNC Health’s decision reflects a broader movement among leading academic institutions toward disciplined, phased deployment models that prioritize patient access, speed to treatment, and long-term sustainability.”
Mevion, the only U.S.-based manufacturer of proton therapy systems, designs and builds its technology domestically. The company said its compact platforms are intended to align with the operational and workforce realities of modern academic and integrated health systems.
With this selection, UNC Health joins a growing number of institutions adopting compact proton therapy systems as a way to modernize radiation oncology services while expanding access to advanced cancer care.
