Music Therapy May Bridge Race-Related Gaps in Cancer Pain Management

Despite pain’s prevalence as a debilitating symptom correlated with poor outcomes among patients with cancer, it is often inadequately treated. Racial disparities further contribute to the challenges of assessing and managing cancer pain, with health systems reporting markedly lower doses of opioid prescriptions for Black patients compared to White patients. The inequities stem from provider biases, patient belief systems, and systemic racism.