Pediatric Radiation Oncology With Movie Induced Sedation Effect (PROMISE)

Radiation therapy (RT) requires precise immobilization in order to accurately deliver a conformal dose to the target(s) while avoiding nearby organs at risk. In children, RT frequently requires daily anesthesia use during the entire course of treatment, often up to 4-6 weeks total. While the data varies, ~40-50% of children, and the majority of those under the age of 7, require daily general anesthesia. Anesthesia can have significant short- and long-term detrimental effects on patient health, including increased risk of hypoxia, allergic reactions, hyperthermia, vascular access device complications (20-25%), and neurocognitive impairment. Furthermore, daily anesthesia provides significant logistical and financial burden, with the average 6-week course of daily anesthesia for RT being approximately $50,000 in payer charges.

Pediatric Radiation Oncology with Movie Induced Sedation Effect (PROMISE) is an interactive, incentive-based movie system that integrates with a video surveillance gating module (VisionRT) to help keep a children's attention and prevent children from moving during radiation treatment. While audiovisual distraction techniques have previously been described, PROMISE is the first system that allows for real time monitoring of patient motion and automatic shutting off of the beam and video if the patient moves outside of defined parameters. This not only provides a built-in safety mechanism, but also allows for real time behavior training that incentives patients to not move.

The investigators propose implementing PROMISE for all children between ages 3-11 undergoing radiation treatment through a phase II clinical trial with the following workflow: 1) During the CT simulation scan, a training session will be conducted, where the child will learn to lie still with positive and negative feedbacks provided by the system for behavioral training. This session will also be used as a screening test to choose children suitable for PROMISE. Only children meeting the movement-requirements during the training session will be selected as candidates for the following non-sedated radiation treatment. 2) During the treatment, a child will watch an age-appropriate movie or video of participant/s choice. A 3D surface imaging system will be used to monitor the motion of the child. If the motion exceeds any pre-defined positioning thresholds (e.g., conventional radiotherapy (CRT): 0.5 cm in translation movements and 2° in three rotational angles; stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT): 0.15 cm and 0.5 degree), the treatment beam will be shut off and the movie will be paused. 3) Beyond threshold movements the child will be instructed with the effectiveness of movement control strategy. 4) If the child reverts to treatment position within a pre-defined temporal threshold (e.g. 1 minute), the treatment will be resumed with a continuing movie. 5) If the child cannot revert to the treatment position within a pre-defined time threshold/or the movement is beyond any pre-defined re-alignment threshold value (e.g., 1 cm / 5° in three rotational angles), the radiation beam and the movie will be turned off, the patient will be readjusted and the treatment will resume. 6) In any treatment fraction, PROMISE treatment will be ceased if therapists have to re-position the child multiple times. If the child is consecutively noncompliant with PROMISE treatments for two fractions, participant will receive radiotherapy treatment with general anesthesia for all subsequent fractions, unless instructed by physician to re-attempt PROMISE.

The primary objective is to decrease the total number of pediatric patients who require general anesthesia through the use of PROMISE. The secondary objectives are to assess the impact that PROMISE has on patient/family anxiety and quality of life, treatment time and clinical efficiency, and overall cost, and to determine the average patient movement and beam stoppages with PROMISE. Patient/family-reported health quality of life will be assessed using PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module and patient anxiety will be measured by the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Survey Short Form (mYPAS-SF).

The hypothesis is that PROMISE will lead to a reduction in the percentage of patients ages 3-7 who require general anesthesia use from 70% (historical control) to 30%. Using a two-sided exact binomial test with a significance level of 0.05 and power=80%, a sample size of 13 patients (ages 3-7) will be needed to detect this difference. In the investigator's past experience, ~42% of children ages 3-11 (eligibility criteria) are between 3-7 years old, so 30 children total will be needed to enroll 13 who are between 3-7 years old.