Proton therapy treatment requires coordination between the Center's medical teams and the pediatricians who request it. The children's pathway is specific in that the information provided and the treatment are adapted to the child's age, and requires the involvement of parents and pediatricians.
The main stages of the children's program are identical to those of the adult program.
General anaesthesia is sometimes required to ensure that the child is correctly positioned during the preparation and treatment sessions. Whenever possible, depending on the child's profile, the radiotherapy team uses "distractive" methods to ensure the child's cooperation during the sessions, thus avoiding the need for general anesthesia.
Information and care are adapted to the child's age.
Proton therapy care pathway
It includes a preparation session and a series of treatment sessions.
Processing request
The request for proton therapy treatment is made by the oncopediatric referral center initially caring for the child.
This request must be sent, together with a complete medical file, to the radiotherapy department of the Centre François Baclesse. In practical terms, the medical file can be transmitted electronically via a secure link to the requesting physician.
The request is submitted to a national conference specialized in pediatric radiotherapy, which gives its opinion on the appropriateness of the indication for proton therapy.
If the request is approved, an initial appointment is proposed at the Centre François Baclesse. Specialized consultations are also organized with a doctor specializing in pediatric oncology at Caen University Hospital.
The requesting physician is kept informed of the treatment. He/she can have secure access to data from the patient's medical file, updated in real time. For this, the requesting doctor will be directed to the Centre François Baclesse IT department.
Consultation
The first step in the proton therapy treatment process is a consultation with the child's radiotherapy oncologist, who is the child's referring physician at the Centre François Baclesse.
He or she will inform the child and his or her parents about the treatment and organize the child's care with the help of the radiotherapy team.
A pediatric coordinator will liaise with the child and his or her parents, providing age-appropriate information and helping to organize the child's care.
If the child needs to be put to sleep for the simulation and treatment sessions, a consultation will be organized with an anesthetist at least 3 days before the simulation session.
Simulation and dosimetry
Depending on the child's ability to remain immobile, this imaging session may be carried out under general anaesthetic.
This preparation takes place in the radiotherapy department of the Centre François Baclesse.
The most appropriate position for the treatment is ensured by personalized "restraint" accessories: headrest, support mask, knee rest... These same accessories will be used for treatment sessions.
An identification sheet with a portrait photo is given to the patient at the end of the simulation: he/she should bring it with him/her each time he/she comes to the radiotherapy department.
The simulation lasts between 30 and 60 minutes.
The images gathered during this scan are used to model the best possible treatment, i.e. the one that will be most effective on the tumor and least harmful to the surrounding healthy tissue. This optimization work, known as dosimetry, can take up to 15 days.
Treatment sessions
Proton therapy treatment sessions take place once a day, 5 days a week, for 3 to 7 weeks, depending on the treatment proposed and validated by the multidisciplinary consultation meeting.
Treatment sessions take place in the treatment unit located at the CYCLHAD proton therapy center, a 5-minute transport ride from the François Baclesse Center.
Sessions last between 30 minutes and 1 hour, particularly in the case of general anesthesia.
Proton therapy treatment sessions at the CYCLHAD site take place between 7am and 10pm.
Outpatient consultations
Secretariat
- Opening hours: Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm.
- Phone: 02 31 24 34 48