Proton Therapy Systems Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Global Proton Therapy Systems Market Trends and Insights

Adoption of Compact Single-Room Systems Lowers CAPEX

Compact single-room platforms are trimming construction costs by 30% to 40%, enabling community hospitals to commission proton centers for USD 33 million to USD 60 million rather than nine-figure budgets^{[1]BayCare Health System, “BayCare Opens Proton Therapy Center in Tampa,” baycare.org}. FDA clearance of the Mevion S250-FIT in September 2025 demonstrated the feasibility of vault retrofit, cutting build times to under 18 months. Stanford Medicine targeted summer 2025 commissioning after a 14-month build, half the time of a typical multi-room project. Regional networks such as Froedtert Health opened Wisconsin’s first center in August 2025, capturing patients who previously traveled out of state. Similar strategies are unfolding in secondary Australian and Canadian markets, suggesting durable cost-driven diffusion.

Expanding Reimbursement for Pediatric & CNS Cancers

Medicare Local Coverage Determinations L35075 and L33937 cover 27 ICD-10 codes, including medulloblastoma, chordoma, and ocular melanoma, guaranteeing baseline volumes for U.S. providers^{[2]Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, “Local Coverage Determination Proton Beam Therapy L35075,” cms.gov} . The U.K. National Health Service funds pediatric and skull-base indications at two national centers. However, adult breast, prostate, and lung cancers remain excluded, leading to cross-border referrals to Germany and Switzerland. Japan’s June 2024 insurance expansion reimburses USD 26,000–33,000 per course, lifting annual patient throughput above 3,600 cases. India’s Ayushman Bharat scheme similarly finances pediatric access at ACTREC in Mumbai, broadening the Asian demand base. Ongoing RADCOMP data for breast cancer and COMPPARE findings for prostate cancer are poised to widen payer criteria after 2027.

Shift to Pencil-Beam Scanning & AI Adaptive Planning Boosts Throughput

Pencil-beam scanning (PBS) magnetically steers micro-spotted beams, enabling intensity-modulated proton therapy that doubles daily capacity versus passive scattering at leading U.S. sites, IBA. AI-powered adaptive planning in RayStation cuts replanning time for head-and-neck cases from 4 hours to 90 minutes, freeing physicist bandwidth and elevating patient slots by 20%. The University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute is embedding these workflows in a USD 50 million expansion to target 150 treatments a day. Such efficiencies are crucial where reimbursement is bundled per course rather than per fraction.

Government-Funded Oncology Infrastructure Programs

China earmarked RMB 50 billion in its 14th Five-Year Plan for the rollout of proton centers in Guangdong, Shandong, and Jiangsu, supporting provincial Healthy China 2030 targets. India allotted USD 1.2 billion in 2024 to add centers in New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai, aiming to curb outbound medical tourism. The UAE’s Dubai Health Authority ordered a ProteusONE for delivery in 2029, inaugurating Gulf Cooperation Council capacity. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 seeks to treat 1,700 annual cases through multilateral support from the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Rays of Hope program. These public initiatives de-risk supplier backlogs that topped EUR 500 million at IBA in Q3 2025.

High Multi-Room Installation Cost

Two-gantry builds often exceed USD 224 million, matching those of three linear-accelerator centers and requiring 1,200–1,500 annual patients to break even^{[3]Penn Medicine, “Penn Medicine Breaks Ground on Roberts Center for Proton Therapy,” pennmedicine.org}. Mayo Clinic’s USD 100 million add-on will treat 900 patients a year but requires a decade-long payback under current Medicare rates. Australia’s delay in the Adelaide Bragg Centre underscores how supply-chain inflation can quickly jeopardize capital budgets.

Shortage of Certified Proton-Therapy Physicists & Engineers

CAMPEP accredits fewer than 50 proton-specific physicists annually in North America, while 15–20 new centers are slated through 2031^{[4]European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, “ESTRO Workforce Requirements for Proton Therapy,” estro.org} . Stanford postponed S250-FIT commissioning to summer 2025 for workforce recruitment. European capacity needs 200 additional physicists by 2030; training remains concentrated in the U.K., Germany, and Switzerland, creating regional mismatches.

Segment Analysis

By Product Type: Accelerators Anchor Revenue, Positioning Systems Surge

Accelerators accounted for 37.55% of 2025 revenue, underscoring their USD 30–60 million price tag. Patient-positioning systems are projected to post a 9.25% CAGR, driven by robotic couches with six-degree motion correction, which are essential for adaptive therapy. Superconducting designs are replacing legacy isochronous cyclotrons, cutting operating costs and space. Elekta’s surface-guided systems and Siemens imaging add-ons are gaining favor as hypofractionation raises geometric accuracy demands. This momentum positions the segment to outpace overall growth in the proton therapy systems market.

The proton therapy systems market size for accelerators is projected to reach USD 820 million by 2031, while advanced positioning platforms could exceed USD 320 million, reflecting double-digit expansion in secondary installations. Vendors offering bundled service contracts and training programs stand to capture the incremental spending wave.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By System Configuration: Single-Room Platforms Disrupt Multi-Room Dominance

Multi-room facilities retained a 54.53% share in 2025, but single-room units will expand at a 11.85% CAGR as community hospitals seek faster returns. The proton therapy systems market share for single-room builds could surpass 45% by 2031 if present order books convert. Mevion’s S250-FIT requires just 2,500 square feet and leverages existing vaults, trimming capex by USD 40 million–60 million.

Single-room platforms typically treat 15–25 patients daily, yet higher throughput from AI-adaptive planning closes revenue gaps with multi-room peers. Gantry-less solutions from P-Cure further shrink footprints by 40%, indicating future architectural shifts that align with urban land constraints.

By Technology: Pencil-Beam Scanning Overtakes Passive Scattering

Passive scattering still accounted for 49.23% of installed capacity in 2025, but pencil-beam scanning is surging at 10.55% CAGR as it supports intensity-modulated protocols. Centers adopting PBS report 2-minute beam times per fraction, doubling room turnover. FLASH, while nascent, could layer an additional premium revenue stream if toxicity benefits materialize post-2028. Hypofractionated proton treatments at 5×10 Gy for pancreatic or liver tumors are gaining traction, demanding PBS spot-scanning accuracy and robust motion management. Legacy passive systems are being retired, evidenced by Loma Linda’s 2024 swap-out for an IBA PBS platform.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Application: CNS Cancers Lead, Breast Indications Accelerate

CNS tumors led demand with a 30.03% share in 2025, buoyed by consistent reimbursement and strong clinical evidence. Breast is the fastest-growing indication, with a 12.11% CAGR, backed by RADCOMP data showing a 60% lower mean heart dose. Pending payer decisions post-2027 could elevate breast volumes to rival CNS cases by 2031.

Prostate uptake should improve after COMPPARE demonstrated 30% lower gastrointestinal toxicity than photon therapy. Pediatric protocols continue to expand under the imperatives of survivorship, keeping lifetime secondary malignancy risk reduction at the forefront of clinical decision-making.

By End User: Hospitals Dominate, Research Institutes Expand

Hospitals accounted for 61.03% of 2025 revenue, as integrated cancer centers bundle surgery, systemic therapy, and imaging around in-house proton therapy capacity. Research institutes are projected to log a 10.11% CAGR due to FLASH and AI-planning trials that require dedicated beam time and specialized dosimetry. Provision Healthcare’s multi-state rollout illustrates how standalone centers can reach 800-plus annual patients with focused referral networks.

Military, Veterans Affairs, and global referral hubs occupy a small but rising slice as defense agencies evaluate proton’s neuro-protective benefits for service-related injuries. These diversified end users will support aftermarket service revenue as installed bases mature.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

North America retained a 46.13% share in 2025, supported by stable Medicare LCDs and a wave of single-room installations in community settings. New builds in Florida, Wisconsin, and California shorten travel distances for insured patients, while Penn Medicine’s two-gantry FLASH-ready center will reinforce regional dominance from 2027.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region, with a 9.81% CAGR, driven by Japan’s insurance expansion, China’s RMB 50 billion build-out, and incoming capacity in India and Thailand. Hitachi, Sumitomo, and B dot Medical are capturing local orders, confirming a pivot toward domestic suppliers. Australia’s delay in the Adelaide Bragg Centre underscores the region’s supply-chain sensitivities.

Europe shows mixed momentum. The U.K.’s restricted adult coverage caps growth, yet Germany, Switzerland, and Italy benefit from case-by-case insurer approvals. Switzerland’s Paul Scherrer Institute anchors European FLASH research leadership and attracts cross-border referrals. The Middle East is at an early stage, with Dubai’s 2029 launch setting a beachhead for GCC precision oncology initiatives.

South America remains nascent; Brazil’s USD 120 million São Paulo proposal stalled amid funding gaps, compelling patients to travel abroad. Multilateral finance from IDB and private partnerships will dictate the timeline for regional entry.