A Live-Music Therapy Protocol for Pain Management in Advanced Cancer: The MSPD Pilot Study.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Palliative Care
• Integrative Medicine

Background:

• Advanced cancer patients frequently experience significant pain.
• Music therapy is a recognized approach for pain management.
• This study explored live music therapy for relaxation and pain management in advanced cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a live music therapy protocol in reducing pain and improving symptoms in advanced cancer patients.
• To assess patient satisfaction and willingness for future music therapy sessions.
• To explore music therapy as a complementary approach for real-time patient symptom management.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, exploratory study involving 40 advanced cancer patients with pain scores ≥3/10.
• A single session of live music intervention was administered by a trained music therapist.
• Pain, fatigue, anxiety, and well-being were assessed using numerical rating scales before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in pain scores from 4.9 to 3.5 (P < 0.0001) was observed post-intervention.
• Significant reductions in fatigue (6.2 to 4.3) and anxiety (2.7 to 1.0) were noted (P < 0.0001).
• Patient well-being improved significantly (5.2 to 3.3) with high satisfaction (8.9/10) and 95% willingness for more sessions.

Conclusions:

• A single music-induced relaxation session offers short-term pain relief and symptom improvement in advanced cancer patients.
• The findings support music therapy as a viable intervention for managing pain and enhancing well-being in palliative care.
• Further research is warranted to confirm efficacy, evaluate long-term effects, and explore multisession programs.