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.