SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 10, 2025--
ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., a global leader in non-invasive robotic brain surgery, today announced its debut at the 2025 ASTRO (American Society for Radiation Oncology) Annual Meeting, to be held September 28 – October 1 in San Francisco, California. ZAP Surgical will showcase the ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform to the ASTRO community, alongside its internationally recognized, award-winning ZAP-Axon® Radiosurgery Planning System *.
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Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a near full-scale model of the ZAP-X system, a dedicated cranial radiosurgery (SRS) innovation that eliminates the need for costly radiation-shielded vaults and replaces outdated Cobalt-60 sources with advanced linear accelerator technology.
Live demonstrations of the ZAP-Axon planning software will also be available, offering a hands-on look at ZAP’s next-generation approach to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) planning.
“We are honored to bring ZAP-X to ASTRO for the first time,” said John R. Adler, MD, founder and CEO of ZAP Surgical, and Emeritus Dorothy & TK Chan Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiation Oncology at Stanford University. “With its dedicated cranial SRS design, ZAP-X empowers radiation oncologists to efficiently deliver the highest quality care without the compromises commonplace with multi-purpose radiation delivery systems.”
The ZAP-X system leverages gyroscopic mobility to deliver radiosurgical beams from thousands of unique angles, enhancing dose shaping and aiding the sparing of healthy brain tissue and critical structures. This high-precision approach not only helps reduce treatment-related risk but also aims to better preserve mental function in patients undergoing brain radiosurgery.
“Focusing solely on conformality and dose gradient in cranial radiosurgery is outdated thinking. Recent studies reveal that multi-purpose radiotherapy systems can expose significantly more healthy brain tissue to unnecessary radiation, which early evidence suggests may lead to deleterious effects such as neurocognitive decline,” said Dr. Adler. “That’s a profoundly important distinction. Emerging research confirms that even low doses to healthy brain tissue significantly changes brain function.”
Throughout ASTRO 2025, Dr. Adler and the ZAP Surgical team will host a series of in-booth presentations introducing the ZAP-X technology and its unique value proposition for modern radiation oncology practices.
To coordinate a VIP ZAP-X platform introduction or ZAP-Axon Radiosurgery Planning demonstration, please email info@zapsurgical.com. Or for additional general information, please visit www.zapsurgical.com.
* The ZAP-Axon Radiosurgery Planning System is pending US FDA 510(k) clearance and EU CE mark declaration.
About ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc.
ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., a global leader in non-invasive robotic brain surgery, is committed to reducing the costs and complexities that limit access to world-class radiosurgery (SRS) for the brain, head, and neck. The company manufactures the ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform and is also pioneering new applications of high-precision SRS in areas such as depression, addiction, and obesity. Founded in 2014 by Dr. John R. Adler, Emeritus Dorothy & TK Chan Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiation Oncology at Stanford University, ZAP introduced the world’s first vault-free radiosurgery platform - eliminating the need for costly shielded treatment rooms and enabling flexible, high-visibility siting. ZAP-X also advances beyond legacy Cobalt-60 technology with a modern linear accelerator for safer, more sustainable care. Learn more at ZAP Surgical and follow us on LinkedIn.
ZAP Surgical to Debut Its Groundbreaking ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® Platform at ASTRO 2025
ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims from around the world congregated on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the second official day of the annual Islamic pilgrimage, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj.
Despite the sweltering heat, the pilgrims gathered on the rocky hill and surrounding plain for intense prayers and worship that often mark a spiritual peak for them. They fervently murmured prayers and poured their hearts out in supplications. Many raised their hands in worship. It is common for pilgrims on that day, some with tears streaming down their faces, to ask God for forgiveness, mercy, blessings and good health.
The Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to perform it.
For pilgrims, the Hajj, performed over several days, can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade.
A Saudi official said on Friday that more than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in the country from abroad.
This year, Muslims have been pouring into Saudi Arabia for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related uncertainty in the region.
The U.S. military said Monday that it carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats used to lay mines, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations with Tehran were “proceeding nicely." Iran on Tuesday denounced the most recent U.S. strikes as a sign of “bad faith and unreliability” as negotiations pressed on toward a possible deal to end the war.
For many, performing the Hajj can be a realization of a lifelong dream as they spend years hoping and praying to one day be able to undertake the pilgrimage or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip.
“This happens once in a lifetime,” Mohammad Asal, an Egyptian pilgrim, said. “People here have prepared their prayers, hoping that God will respond to them, because we know that ... the most important ritual of the Hajj is being in Arafat.”
The Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and socioeconomic classes, creating a sense of unity for many. It’s a mass, communal experience, with Muslims performing rituals together. But it is also deeply personal, as every pilgrim brings their own yearnings and experiences.
“It was incredible,” Ahmed Sufyan, a pilgrim from the United States, said on Tuesday. “The unity and peace that we feel is something I’ve never experienced before,” he added via WhatsApp.
“Our wishes are many,” Mohammad Obaid, a Sudanese pilgrim, said, adding he was praying for Sudan and Muslims everywhere.
Fam reported from Winter Park, Florida.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
A Muslim pilgrim pray atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims walk towards the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims are silhouetted as they pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims read a copy of Islam's holy book Quran atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
