Short communicationEffects of music therapy on subjective sensations and heart rate variability in treated cancer survivors: A pilot study
Introduction
The diagnosis or suspicion of cancer can affect the patient's physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being.1 According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, up to 30% of people with cancer experience significant anxiety. The afflicting pain, treatments administered, physical and psychological changes, disease recurrence, and the possibility of facing death can provoke an anxiety response.2
However, most researches of music therapy have focused on subjects awaiting surgical procedures, receiving treatment, or immediately after surgery, with few researches focusing on the effects of music therapy in treated cancer survivors who finished their treatment. These cancer survivors need regular follow-up care, and they always face to possible cancer recurrence that can provoke anxiety response in their life time.
The present study aimed to determine the effects of music therapy on subjective sensations and physiological parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) in treated cancer survivors. We hypothesized that music therapy significantly affects the sensations of fatigue, comfort, and relaxation, and the activities of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
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Study participants
The participants in this study consisted of 23 females (19 with breast cancer, two with ovary cancer, one with cervical cancer and one with bone cancer) recruited from the Hope Society for Cancer Care, Taipei, Taiwan. Participants met the following criteria: completed surgical and/or chemotherapy treatment at least 6 months previously, no history of acute psychiatric illness, and intact cognitive function. The procedures used in this study were approved by the Institutional Review Board of
Results
The study participants had a mean age of 49.9 years (SD = 9.2 years), and their age ranged from 30 to 67 years. Comparison of the quantitative HRV measures at pretest and posttest revealed that the HF power and normalized HF power were significantly higher and the LF/HF ratio and normalized LF power of HRV were significantly lower at posttest than at pretest (p < 0.05) (see Table 1).
The VAMS mean value for the fatigue level was significant lower after music therapy (p < 0.05). The VAMS mean value for
Discussion
This study investigated the effects of music therapy on subjective sensations and physiological parameters of HRV in treated cancer survivors. We found that fatigue reduced and relaxation increased significantly after music therapy. These results are consistent with a previous study showing that music therapy significantly decreases subjective sensations of anxiety, and fatigue, and increases comfort and relaxation in patients receiving chemotherapy treatment.6
HRV is known to provide a unique
Conclusion
This study provides preliminary evidence that music therapy may be clinically useful for promoting relaxation sensation and increasing parasympathetic nervous system activity in treated cancer survivors.
Conflict of interest statement
No competing financial interests exist.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to music therapist Ms. Mi-Yun Song and the Hope Society for Cancer Care, Taipei, Taiwan, for their experiment support of this research.
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