Clinical Research Directory

Early Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for Women Undergoing Pelvic Radiation for Gynecologic Malignancies

This is a single arm phase II study in which 28 patients who will be undergoing definitive pelvic external beam radiation therapy for cervical cancer will receive pelvic floor physical therapy 4 weeks after completing radiation therapy.

Validation of PET Questionnaire for Experience and Sustainability in Telemedicine. PET(Patient Experience in Telehealth)

Background: Telemedicine adoption has expanded rapidly in recent years, creating new opportunities for access to care, particularly for frail patients or those with mobility limitations. However, the large-scale deployment of remote healthcare services has highlighted the lack of validated instruments to systematically and multidimensionally assess patients' subjective experience. Patient experience is recognized as a key indicator of quality of care, with direct implications for treatment adherence, appropriate use of digital health technologies, and the effectiveness of organizational care models. Rationale: No instruments have been specifically validated in Italy to measure patient experience in telemedicine. In response, the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli - Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (FPG IRCCS) developed, through a co-design process involving expert patients and healthcare professionals, the Patient Experience in Telehealth questionnaire (PET). The tool was designed to capture not only overall satisfaction, but also relational, informational, and organizational domains, as well as perceived economic and environmental impact. Objectives: The primary objective is psychometric validation of PET, assessing reliability and validity (construct, convergent, and discriminant). Secondary objectives include evaluating the perceived impact of telemedicine on care organization, patient-borne costs, and the environment, and exploring differences according to sociodemographic variables. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study will administer PET to at least 200 adult patients who received one or more telemedicine services at FPG IRCCS within the preceding three months. Content validity will be assessed by an expert panel. Descriptive analyses, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and reliability testing will be performed. A subgroup will complete a test-retest assessment after 7-14 days. Hypothesis: PET is expected to demonstrate satisfactory psychometric properties, discriminate across different levels of patient experience, and capture the perceived organizational, economic, and environmental impacts of telemedicine in healthcare delivery.

Prospective Observational Study on Outcome of High-precision Hypo-fractionated Radiotherapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer (PRECISE-M)

This study is a prospective observational study on outcomes of high precision hypo-fractionated radiotherapy in breast cancer with distant metastasis.

Surface Monitoring Technology to Remove The Mask - Stage 1

A pilot-stage device feasibility study investigating a mask-free motion-monitoring patient immobilisation system for use during radiation therapy treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC). This mask-free system combines the standard radiation therapy (RT) head rest to help the patient remain still with a surface guidance detection system that uses sensors to detect and track patient movement. Patients who will have RT treatment for head and neck cancer involving an immobilisation mask will be asked to lie on the treatment couch for the normal treatment fraction time while the surface monitoring system is activated. We will then assess: i) The level of acceptance of the system by HNC patients currently being treated with RT using an immobilisation mask, and ii) The ability of the surface guidance system to monitor movement of the patients

Collection of Head Images During Radiotherapy

The primary objective of this observational study is to quantify the translation, rotation, and deformation of patient head positions of head and neck cancer patients over the course of a radiation therapy treatment for head and neck cancer. This objective will be achieved by comparing X-ray images collected during each treatment session with those obtained from the planning CT scan. Secondary objectives include (1) the use of the collected X-ray images to develop realistic artificial X-ray images where patient movement can be simulated and (2) to determine whether motion can be detected from individual X-ray images acquired during radiation therapy treatment.