Dr. Charles B. Simone, II, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Proton Center, was recently featured in Oncology News Central in an article addressing the importance of accurate data interpretation in lung cancer screening.
Dr. Simone contributed to a joint statement from three leading medical societies—the American College of Radiology (ACR), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)—responding to recent studies that may overstate the risks associated with CT-based lung cancer screening. The societies emphasized that methodological flaws in some analyses have contributed to misconceptions around false positives, complications, and radiation exposure.
Dr. Simone highlighted that lung cancer screening, when applied appropriately, has consistently demonstrated a survival benefit through earlier detection, allowing more patients to be diagnosed at stages where curative treatment may be possible. He underscored the need for clinicians and researchers to rely on high-quality, randomized data to ensure patients are not discouraged from undergoing potentially lifesaving screening.
A Second Chance: Stuart Bain’s Prostate Cancer Journey at NYPC
Stuart Bain wasn’t looking for a cancer diagnosis. When the Lake Ronkonkoma resident went to his doctor for joint pain during a routine visit, but a simple decision to add a PSA test to his bloodwork changed everything.
“I was lucky,” Bain said. “If you’re 40-years-old, next time you get a blood test add a PSA to it. It can’t hurt.”
That prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test detected what his doctors suspected: prostate cancer. Rather than face the uncertainty, Bain chose to act. He turned to the New York Proton Center, where a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including Dr. Irini Yacoub, an attending radiation oncologist at NYPC, used precision proton-based radiation therapy to treat his cancer.
Today, Stuart is cancer free.
Early Detection Saves Lives
As September marks Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Bain is sharing his story to encourage other men to prioritize early screening. According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime—yet many don’t know it’s highly treatable when caught early.
“Prostate cancer is one of the most common yet treatable cancers that we face today, and we have so many effective options for it,” Dr. Yacoub said. “Many patients after treatment go on to enjoy a good quality of life after treatment, but early detection is so important.”
Why Proton Therapy
Proton therapy offers precision that conventional radiation cannot match. By targeting cancer cells with millimeter accuracy while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, proton therapy allows patients like Bain to maintain their quality of life during and after treatment.
At NYPC, our team works closely with each patient to design a personalized treatment plan. The result: effective cancer treatment with fewer side effects and a faster return to normal life.
Ten NYPC global leaders in proton therapy from New York State’s first and only proton therapy center present data demonstrating the benefits of proton therapy in spinal, uterine, cervical, thoracic,gastrointestinal, breast, CNS, and head and neck cancers, and game-changing innovations, including ultra-high dose rate FLASH therapy
NYPC has the most presentations of any single-site proton center at the world’s largest proton therapy medical meeting
NEW YORK, June 11, 2026 — The New York Proton Center (NYPC), a global leader in proton therapy research and education and the first and only proton therapy center in New York, will share new research and clinical insights at the 64th Annual Conference of the Particle Therapy Cooperative Group (PTCOG 64), taking place June 8–13, 2026, at the CID Deauville Convention Center in Deauville (Normandy), France. PTCOG is the world’s largest annual gathering devoted to particle therapy, which includes precise proton beam therapy, bringing together more than 1,000 radiation oncologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, radiation therapists, and researchers from across the globe.
Proton therapy precisely targets tumors while minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues and critical organs. Unlike conventional photon radiation, proton beams can be customized to travel to a specified depth in the body and then stop. Nearly all of the radiation is deposited directly into the tumor, with no exit dose, resulting in fewer side effects.
NYPC Chief Medical Officer Charles B. Simone, II, MD, FASTRO, FACRO, FACR, who also serves as the Board President of the Proton Collaborative Group (PCG), is a Full Member of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the author of more than 700 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters, will lead several sessions and has collaborated with NYPC colleagues on multiple PTCOG scientific, educational, and poster presentations.
Key NYPC sessions include:
Three sessions led by NYPC’s Dr. Arpit Chhabra, a radiation oncologist and Director of Education, on proton therapy for skull base, spine, and central nervous system tumors. Data presented will show that patients receiving adjuvant or definitive radiotherapy for primary spinal tumors demonstrate that proton therapy achieves favorable local control and an excellent safety profile with no grade 3 or higher toxicities, supporting the use of proton therapy as a safe and effective treatment option for appropriately selected adult patients; and
Two sessions led by Dr. Simone and NYPC radiation oncologist Dr. Kristin Hsieh on gynecologic cancers, with data representing the largest reported cohorts of uterine and cervical cancer patients undergoing proton therapy.
“I am proud that our NYPC team will be presenting data at more than 15 sessions at PTCOG demonstrating the benefits of proton therapy in spine and CNS, uterine, cervical, thoracic, gastrointestinal, breast, and head and neck malignancies, as well as game-changing innovations, including FLASH therapy and spatially fractionated radiation therapy,” said Dr. Simone. “Cancer patients deserve options that not only cure their cancer but also preserve their ability to lead productive and enjoyable lives during and after treatment. I am grateful for our team’s tireless work to advance proton therapy as a standard of care for certain cancers, and I am grateful to our patients who participate in our clinical trials and trust our team with their care.”
Some of the other NYPC radiation oncologists and medical physicists who will give oral or poster presentations include:
Dr. J. Isabelle Choi, FACRO, NYPC Director of Research and a Radiation Oncology Attending in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, presenting on “Particle Therapy for Reirradiation”
Dr. Haibo Lin, DABR, NYPC Director of Medical Physics, speaking on a novel way to perform quality assurance for proton therapy plans and also moderating a session on “Physics: Imaging & Quality Assurance”
In addition, members of the NYPC medical physics team will present on imaging, treatment planning, quality assurance, and two new innovative therapies that have the potential to advance proton therapy: FLASH therapy, which uses ultra-high dose rate proton therapy to spare healthy tissues; and GRID therapy, which delivers radiation therapy in a pattern of high-dose regions separated by lower-dose areas, also allowing the sparing of healthy tissues. The research suggests a promising pathway toward improving outcomes and reducing toxicities for patients with advanced or bulky tumors.
“The data our team is presenting at PTCOG 64 reflects not only our leadership in advancing proton therapy, but also our commitment to the patients we serve,” said Christopher Panczner, Chief Executive Officer of the New York Proton Center. “Through our unique collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering, Montefiore, and Mount Sinai, we are bringing the benefits of proton therapy to more patients across New York and beyond while generating the research that is shaping the future of cancer care worldwide. I could not be prouder of our physicians and physicists, and of the patients whose courage makes this progress possible.”
About the New York Proton Center
The New York Proton Center (NYPC) is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. The NYPC is advancing new and better ways to fight cancer with proton therapy, a highly targeted form of radiation therapy with fewer treatment-related complications. In partnership with leading academic medical centers: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, and Mount Sinai Health System, NYPC is the only proton center in the state of New York, attracting patients from around the country and the world. Through impactful clinical trials and game-changing clinical research, NYPC’s internationally renowned clinical team continues to revolutionize cancer treatment while offering patients individualized, highly skilled, and compassionate care.
