1. As a medical physicist working in radiotherapy, what problem did you see in breast cancer care that led you to co-found HeroSupport?
G.D.: One in 8 women will develop breast cancer, and I could be one of them. More than 50% of these patients undergo radiotherapy. It is highly effective at killing cancer cells, but non-optimal breast positioning can also expose healthy tissue to radiation, increasing side effects.
Treating patients in the prone position can reduce this exposure because the breast naturally moves away from the chest by hanging through a cut-out of the table where the patient is laying on her belly. However, achieving a precise and reproducible position, remains a challenge. This is the problem we wanted to solve with HeroSupport.
2. HeroSupport’s VENUS SHELL™ is created specifically for each patient. How do technologies such as 3D scanning and 3D printing make this level of personalisation possible?
G.D.: Our technology captures the patient’s body in the actual treatment position using 3D scanning and a patented Imaging table, then turns this information into a personalised support through 3D printing. This support fits the cut-out of the table so it’s no longer the patient that has to adapt to the table but the table that adopts to each patient in a unique way, as unique are our patients!
The use of surface scan and our patented imaging table is similar to fitting a custom ski boot: to get the right fit, you need to capture the foot’s true shape while it is bearing weight. In the same way, VENUS SHELL™ captures each patient’s unique anatomy in the position that matters for treatment by using this new imaging table.
3. Why is precise and reproducible patient positioning so important during breast cancer radiotherapy, both for the treatment itself and for the patient experience?
G.D.: Radiotherapy is delivered over multiple sessions, so the patient needs to be positioned in the same way each time. Even small differences can affect where the radiation is delivered, it is essential to hit the target and spare the healthy tissue. HeroSupport’s personalised immobilisation device helps maintain an optimal and reproducible breast position, supporting treatment accuracy and efficiency while reducing unnecessary exposure of healthy tissue and making positioning more comfortable for the patient.
4. How have patients and healthcare professionnals contributed to the development of the VENUS SHELL™ and the way you approach innovation at HeroSupport?
G.D.: Patients and healthcare professionals have been closely involved throughout the development of VENUS SHELL™. Past and ongoing clinical studies, collecting feedback from patients and radiation therapists help us better understand comfort and usability. We also collaborate closely with hospitals in New York and Switzerland, working with radiation oncologists and medical physicists through open discussions.
