Positioning in RT - Supine vs. Upright

Sponsor
University Health Network, Toronto
Study ID
NCT07765069
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

Notify me when recruiting opens

Save your spot on the interest list for this study. We'll keep your details with this study so our team can follow up when recruiting opens.

Not yet recruiting

Add your contact details and location so we can keep your interest tied to this study.

Conditions

  • Cancer

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
3 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Upright positioning chair — DEVICE
    Following standard-of-care RT planning or delivery in the conventional supine position, patients and caregivers will complete a questionnaire evaluating the current treatment position. Patients will then be positioned upright in a chair, using similar immobilization to their supine setup when feasible. This position will be maintained for up to 15 minutes, as tolerated by the patient.

Study Details

This is a single-center, non-therapeutic prospective pilot cohort study evaluating patient-reported comfort levels between upright and supine positioning in patients receiving radiation therapy across all age groups using a concurrent mixed-methods design. Following standard-of-care RT planning or delivery in the conventional supine position, patients and caregivers will complete a questionnaire evaluating the current treatment position. Patients will then be positioned upright in a chair, using similar immobilization to their supine setup when feasible. This position will be maintained for up to 15 minutes, as tolerated by the patient. During the upright positioning session, patients and caregivers will be asked open-ended questions exploring their perceptions of comfort, stability, and overall experience with the upright chair. No radiation or therapeutic intervention will be delivered during the upright session; the upright positioning procedure is non-therapeutic and conducted solely for assessment purposes. Patients and their caregivers will again be asked to complete a questionnaire evaluating the upright position. Key stakeholders involved in RT (including Radiation Therapists, Registered Nurses, Radiation Oncologists, or Medical Physicists), will participate in one semi-structured interview to explore perspectives on supine versus upright positioning for RT. Each interview will take up to 60 minutes and will be conducted in-person or virtual using UHN's Microsoft Teams. All sessions will be audio recorded and transcribed on the UHN Microsoft cloud, which is encrypted and stored securely.

Key Dates

First listed
Aug 14, 2026
Start date
Oct 1, 2026
Status verified
Aug 2026
Primary completion
Nov 30, 2027
Completion
Nov 30, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
105 participants (estimated)

Arms

  • Arm: Patients
    Patients undergoing RT (as part of routine clinical care) who are in stable clinical condition.
  • Arm: Caregivers
    Caregivers of the patients undergoing RT (when applicable).
  • Arm: Key Stakeholders
    Key stakeholders involved in radiation therapy (including Radiation Therapists, Registered Nurses, Radiation Oncologists, and Medical Physicists).

Primary Outcome Measure

Mean difference in comfort scores (upright minus supine), Likert scale, collected immediately post-positioning [ Time Frame: 24 months. ]

Central Contacts

Related Studies