Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Jul;13(3):183-190.
doi: 10.1159/000487073. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Effects of Music Intervention on the Physical and Mental Status of Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Affiliations
Review

Effects of Music Intervention on the Physical and Mental Status of Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Xia Wang et al. Breast Care (Basel). 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this review was to evaluate the effects of music intervention on the physical and mental status of patients with breast cancer.

Methods: 9 databases were searched; 30 randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of music plus standard care and standard care alone in patients with breast cancer were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad scale.

Results: The results of the meta-analysis suggested that music intervention was significantly effective in lowering systolic blood pressure (standardized mean difference (SMD) -0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.85 to -0.42; p < 0.00001), diastolic blood pressure (SMD -0.64, 95% CI -1.06 to -0.22; p = 0.003), and heart rate (SMD -0.45, 95% CI -0.66 to -0.24; p < 0.0001), and in relieving anxiety (Hamilton Scale: mean difference (MD) -7.04, 95% CI -9.31 to -4.78; p < 0.00001; Self-Rating Anxiety Scale: MD -7.40, 95% CI -10.28 to -4.52; p < 0.00001; State Anxiety Inventory: MD -12.40, 95% CI -21.86 to -2.94; p = 0.01), and depression (MD -7.39, 95% CI -8.35 to -6.43; p < 0.00001).

Conclusion: This review provides clues that music intervention might partially improve the physiological and psychological health of patients with breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast neoplasms; Meta-analysis; Music intervention.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparison music versus control outcome systolic blood pressure.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comparison music versus control outcome diastolic blood pressure.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Comparison music versus control outcome heart rate.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Comparison music versus control outcome Hamilton Anxiety-Rating Scale.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Comparison music versus control outcome Self-Rating Anxiety Scale.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Comparison music versus control outcome State Anxiety Inventory.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Comparison music versus control outcome Self-Rating Depression Scale.

References

    1. Torre LA, Bray F, Siegel RL, Ferlay J, Lortettieulent J, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J Clin. 2015;65:87–108. - PubMed
    1. Benson JR, Jatoi I. The global breast cancer burden. Future Oncol. 2012;8:697–702. - PubMed
    1. Zhou LJ. Study of effects of personalized music intervention on depression and anxiety among breast cancer patients during chemotherapy period (in Chinese) Master's Thesis, Nursing Department, Central South University. 2009
    1. Yang J, Zhang Q, Gu J, Li L. Effect of Chinese medicine five-tone therapy intervention on the depression state of the chemotherapy patients with breast cancer (in Chinese) Chin J Mod Nurs. 2013;48:4461–4463.
    1. Sun W, Zhao L, Liu M, Xu L. Effects of personalized music intervention on reducing adverse psychological reaction in patients with breast cancer during chemotherapy (in Chinese) Anhui Med Pharm J. 2013;17:1441–1443.