Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting Mitigation With Music Interventions


Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Integrative Oncology
• Symptom Management

Background:

• Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a significant adverse effect of cancer treatment.
• Music interventions have been explored for decades as a non-pharmacological approach to mitigate CINV.
• A systematic review of music interventions for CINV is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing literature on music interventions for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
• To evaluate the quality of evidence and identify gaps in research regarding music and CINV.
• To explore the implications for nursing practice and future research.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases including PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo®, CINAHL®, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar.
• Keywords used were "music," "chemotherapy," and "nausea."
• Included studies were critically appraised for methodological quality and findings.

Main Results:

• Ten studies met the inclusion criteria for the review.
• The majority of studies featured small sample sizes and non-randomized designs.
• Key limitations included investigator-controlled music selection, and inadequate control for chemotherapy emetogenicity and patient-specific risk factors.

Conclusions:

• Music interventions represent a low-cost, accessible, and safe option for managing CINV, with significant implications for nursing practice.
• The current body of evidence is limited by methodological weaknesses.
• Further high-quality research is required to establish the clinical efficacy and optimal application of music interventions for CINV.