How can music for cancer patients help with anxiety and mood? Read what research says, practical ideas for use in hospital and the limits of what music can do.
In the day treatment unit, the chairs are lined up side by side. Drips fall slowly, and every now and then a machine gives a warning beep. Some patients have closed their eyes, some are looking at their phones, some are whispering with the relative accompanying them. A middle-aged woman sitting in the corner chair, though, has her headphones on; her lips are moving faintly as she sings along to an old song. Within this treatment, which will last several hours, she has created a small, familiar space for herself. The subject of music for cancer patients is about exactly this small space: music does not treat the illness, but it can keep company with the anxiety, loneliness and waiting that the treatment process brings. In this article we look at what research says on this subject, the ways in which music can be supportive for patients and their loved ones, what can be done in a hospital setting, and the limits of this kind of support.
Why Are a Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Emotionally So Hard?
A cancer diagnosis can be a breaking point in a person's life. The shock of the first moment of diagnosis, followed by uncertainty, tests, waiting for results, treatment decisions and the side effects of treatment, creates a heavy emotional burden. During this process, anxiety, fear, anger, sadness and, at times, hopelessness are entirely understandable reactions.
The treatment process brings its own difficulties too. Long days in hospital, hours spent in waiting rooms, needles, the sounds of scanning machines, the feeling of losing control over one's body and being cut off from daily life are experiences many patients share. In Turkey, many patients have to travel to another city for treatment and stay away from home for weeks. This adds the burden of being far from home to the burden of the illness.
Well-meaning but sometimes exhausting reactions from those around them can also add to the load during this process. Phrases such as "Keep your spirits up, it's all about morale" or "Don't be sad, it's bad for the illness" can send the message that the patient must suppress their natural feelings. Yet being afraid, sad or angry are not "wrong" emotions that worsen the course of the illness; there is a need for safe spaces where these feelings can be expressed. Music can be one of these spaces.
Family members also experience intense stress during this process. Nights spent in hospital corridors as the accompanying relative, the effort to balance work and family responsibilities with the treatment schedule, and the helplessness of seeing a loved one in pain can mean that relatives need support too. We discuss the emotional processes that follow a diagnosis in detail in our article on the psychology of cancer after diagnosis.
Music for Cancer Patients: What Does Research Say?
The use of music for cancer patients is a field that has interested researchers for a long time. One of the most comprehensive sources on this subject is the Cochrane review of music-based interventions. The 2011 version of the review evaluated 30 studies involving a total of 1,891 patients. According to the findings of these studies, music-based interventions:
- May help reduce anxiety in cancer patients.
- May show possible positive effects on mood, pain and quality of life.
It is important, however, to read these findings correctly. The review stated that for some outcomes the evidence was of low certainty. Although it is known that the review was later updated, we do not report the detailed figures of the current version here; the core message is the same: music can be supportive, but the effects are modest and the quality of research is not the same in every area.
Research in this field also shares common limitations. In most studies the samples are small, blinding is not possible because participants know they are listening to music, measurements rely largely on the patient's own report, and follow-up periods are short. In addition, while some studies treat music therapy led by a trained practitioner and patients listening to recorded music on their own as different things, in others this distinction is not clear.
Music does not treat cancer; but it can make the hours spent in a chemotherapy chair a little more bearable.
It needs to be stated clearly here: music does not replace any component of cancer treatment. Claims that a particular type of music, frequency or makam (Turkish melodic mode) cures cancer are not supported by science. Disrupting or postponing treatment because of such claims carries serious risks.
In What Ways Can Music for Cancer Patients Be Supportive?
Music for cancer patients can accompany different needs in different ways:
- Coping with anxiety: The wait before a test or treatment is one of the moments when anxiety is at its most intense. Familiar, calm music can draw attention away, to some extent, from worrying thoughts.
- A sense of control: The illness can bring a feeling of losing control over one's life. Deciding for yourself what to listen to, when and for how long, creates a small but meaningful area of control.
- Softening the hospital environment: In the face of machine sounds, corridor noise and the unease created by an unfamiliar setting, music of the person's own choosing can form a familiar shield of sound.
- Connection with memories and identity: Songs loved in one's youth can remind a person of their life before the illness, their relationships and who they are. This can help preserve a sense of self beyond the identity of "patient".
- Expressing feelings: Some patients find their sadness, fears or hopes in a song. Hearing what you cannot put into words in the lines of a song can be comforting.
- Connecting with loved ones: Listening to a song together or humming an old folk song together can be a moment of closeness between patient and relative, built without words.
Imagine a retired teacher who has been staying with her daughter in another city for some time for treatment. On chemotherapy days she takes along a small pair of headphones and a playlist of songs she listened to in her youth. Her daughter suggests listening to one song together at each session. One day, after a song they have listened to, her mother begins to talk about her fears for the first time. Here music is not a treatment, but the door to a conversation that had long been put off.
How Can Music Be Used in Hospital and at Home?
Some practical suggestions for those who want to use music as a supportive tool during cancer treatment:
- Prepare a personal playlist. A list of songs that calm you, give you hope or bring back good memories becomes a ready resource on treatment days. Several separate lists can also be prepared for different moods.
- Don't forget your headphones. Using headphones in shared treatment areas is important so as not to disturb other patients. It is a good idea to ask your treatment team about hospital rules and recommendations on using devices.
- Keep the volume low. At times when tiredness and sensitivity increase, loud sound can be disturbing. Listen to yourself and choose silence when you need it.
- Don't force it. On some days listening to music may not help. Nausea, tiredness or intense emotions can make silence more appealing. This is completely normal too.
- Don't be afraid of sad songs, but keep an eye on yourself. A sad song sometimes helps you let feelings out. But if a song keeps pulling you towards a gloomier place, you might consider changing your playlist.
- Involve your loved ones. You can ask your family and friends to suggest songs to you. This can also be a way of connecting with loved ones who are far away.
- Combine music with other methods. Breathing exercises, short relaxation practices or talking to someone you trust are other tools that can help with anxiety alongside music.
One small detail is also worth sharing: some people mention that songs they listened to often during treatment later remind them of their hospital days, and even of the physical tiredness of those days. If you want to protect the songs you value most from this association, you might consider creating a separate list for treatment days. This is not a rule, but an option you can decide on by observing yourself.
Some hospitals may have programmes in which volunteer musicians perform or art activities are organised. Such activities can be a pleasant break for patients and their families; but it is worth remembering that they are not the same as a structured music therapy process. We explain what music therapy is and how it works in detail in our article on music therapy.
In periods when the illness has progressed and care is focused more on comfort and quality of life, music can also hold a meaningful place for the patient and their family. At this stage, listening to a favourite song together, humming a folk song or simply leaving soft music playing in the room can become a language of closeness at moments when words are difficult. Here too, the patient's preferences are what matter; some people want silence, and some want the voices of their loved ones more than music. Families discussing these preferences in advance, ideally together with the patient, makes it easier to know what will help at difficult moments.
Music and Self-Care for Family Members
When music for cancer patients is discussed, usually only the patient is considered. Yet accompanying relatives and family members also carry a heavy load during this process. Hours spent in hospital corridors, sleepless nights and being constantly on alert can lead to burnout among loved ones too.
For family members, too, music can be a small breathing space. Putting on a song you love in the car on the way home from hospital, closing your eyes and listening for a few minutes in the waiting room, or wearing headphones on an evening walk can all be brief moments you set aside for yourself. These moments are not selfishness; they are part of preserving your strength to give care. If you feel you must always appear strong beside the patient, you also need to make room for your own feelings. Crying along to a song, thinking over what is on your mind while walking, or talking to a friend you trust can all be part of that room.
However, music and short breaks may not be enough on their own to ease the load family members carry. If you have been experiencing sleeplessness, constant tiredness, anger or low mood for a long time, it is important that you seek support for yourself too. We discuss the difficulties caregivers face in our article on caregiver burnout.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Feeling anxious and sad throughout the cancer journey is natural. However, getting support from a mental health professional is a good idea in the following situations:
- If anxiety or fear is clearly making it difficult to stick to treatment, to sleep or to eat
- If there has been intense low mood, hopelessness or an inability to enjoy anything for more than two weeks
- If there are intense episodes of fear resembling panic attacks before treatment
- If the patient or relative has clearly withdrawn from the people around them
- If there are thoughts of harming oneself or ending one's life
If the last point applies, call 112 (emergency services) without delay or go to the nearest emergency department. It is also important to share these thoughts with your treatment team; many hospitals work in collaboration with psychiatry and psychology units.
How Does Psychological Support Work During Cancer?
Psychological support during cancer is a field that complements the medical treatment of the illness. In this process, goals such as understanding one's emotional reactions to the diagnosis, learning to live with uncertainty, developing ways of coping with treatment-related anxiety, strengthening communication with family and loved ones, and reflecting on one's own values and search for meaning can be worked on.
In a cognitive behavioural approach, tools such as noticing the thoughts that feed anxiety and relaxation techniques can be used. Music can be discussed in this process as one of the self-care tools a person can use on their own; for example, a calming playlist could be added to a plan for coping with anxiety before treatment. Support for anxiety and panic may also be suitable for patients and family members experiencing intense anxiety during treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does listening to music help cancer treatment?
Music does not treat the cancer itself. Research suggests that music-based interventions may help reduce anxiety in cancer patients and may have possible positive effects on mood, pain and quality of life. However, part of the evidence is of low certainty, and music does not replace medical treatment.
What music should I listen to during chemotherapy?
There is no single "right" music. Music you love that makes you feel safe, calm or hopeful is the most suitable choice. Some days calm music may help, some days upbeat songs, and some days silence.
Is it true that music at certain frequencies cures cancer?
No. Claims that certain frequencies, makams or types of music cure cancer are not supported by science. Disrupting medical treatment because of such claims can pose serious health risks.
As a family member, how can I offer support through music?
You can prepare a list of the patient's favourite songs, listen together if they wish, and share memories through old songs. What matters is respecting the patient's wishes and how they feel on that day; sometimes sitting quietly beside them is the most valuable support of all.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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