Bozcuk, H., Artac, M., Kara, A., Ozdogan, M., Sualp, Y., Topcu, Z., . . . Savas, B. (2006). Does music exposure during chemotherapy improve quality of life in early breast cancer patients? A pilot study. Medical Science Monitor, 12, CR200–CR205.

Patients were exposed to the same kind of music played from a music set located within the chemotherapy unit while their chemotherapies were administered. Music included pieces from the album “Love Songs” by James Galway, distributed by BMG music, 2001 of which were instrumental pieces of international classical music. Patient outcomes were evaluated before and after a baseline cycle of chemotherapy and before and after a chemotherapy cycle with the musical intervention.

• The sample was comprised of 18 patients with breast cancer receiving adriamycin-containing adjuvant chemotherapy after undergoing modified radical mastectomy (median age = 45.5 years [range 28–60]).
• The majority of patients had stage II disease (77.8%), and five patients (27.7%) had associated comorbidities (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease).

Outpatient clinics

This was a pilot study.

European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30)

The music intervention did not demonstrate improvement in fatigue outcomes.

• The study had a small sample size.
• The study lacked a control group.

Future studies may want to account for personal preferences of the patients for the type of music listened to during chemotherapy.