The effects of music therapy on psychological distress and quality of life in cancer surgery patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
by Zitong Li, Sowon Hwang
Psycho-Oncologie, Vol.19, No.2, 2025;
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Background and object: The research on the impact of music therapy in alleviating psychological distress and improving the quality of life in perioperative cancer patients remains inconclusive. The primary objective of this study is to analyze the effects of music therapy on psychological distress and quality of life in patients undergoing cancer surgery. Method: A search strategy was used with PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The search period covered all records from database inception to November 2024. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the publishing guidelines as set forth by PRISMA and was registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD 42024587929). The selection criteria were based on randomized clinical trials evaluating pain, anxiety, quality of life, and sleep in patients undergoing perioperative surgery for cancer. This study used the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool to determine. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 18.0 software and Revman 5.4. Results: patients’ pain, the pain relief in the intervention group was significantly better than that in the control group at 4 h after extubation [SMD = −2.95 (95% CI: −3.58, −2.31)], and during longer follow-up, it was found that the patients’ pain relief was significantly better as the duration of the intervention increased, with 1–2 weeks being [SMD = −0.70 (95% CI: −1.58, 0.18)], 4–6 weeks [SMD = −1.01 (95% CI: −1.83, −0.19)], > 6 weeks [SMD = −1.51 (95% CI: −2.17, −0.85)]. The study of patient anxiety found that pre-surgical music therapy did not significantly alleviate anxiety [SMD = −0.37 (95% CI: −0.81, 0.08)], and at 4 h after extubation, the intervention group had a significantly better anxiety effect than the control group [SMD = −3.42 (95% CI: −4.11, −2.73)]. The patients’ sleep was analyzed for a total of about 18 weeks of follow-up, and it was found that as the duration of the intervention increased, the patients’ overall sleep showed significant improvement compared to the control group, which showed a trend of further improvement as the duration of the intervention increased. Patients’ long-term quality of life was evaluated using PRI scores (long-term prognosis), and the results indicated that music therapy patients showed superior outcomes compared to the control group at 2 weeks [WMD = −1.52, 95% CI: −2.48 to −0.57], 4 weeks [WMD = −1.62, 95% CI: −2.57 to −0.57], and 6 weeks [WMD = −1.27, 95% CI: −1.96 to −0.58]. Moreover, the benefits of music therapy were sustained over the long term. In a 12-month follow-up study, music therapy patients were consistently more likely to report better quality of life scores than those in the control group. Conclusion: The use of music therapy for cancer surgery patients can significantly improve postoperative pain and anxiety and help patients improve their sleep and long-term prognosis.
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