Effects of Music Therapy Combined with Hospice Care on the Quality of Life and Negative Emotions of Elderly Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer.

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to explore the effects of music therapy combined with hospice care on the quality of life and negative emotions of elderly patients with advanced breast cancer.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 240 elderly patients with advanced breast cancer who were treated at Yancheng Third People's Hospital and Yancheng First People's Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024. The patients were classified into the hospice care group and the music therapy group, with 120 cases in each group. The hospice care group received only hospice care, while the music therapy group received music therapy combined with hospice care. Quality of life [Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B)], pain level [visual analog scale (VAS)], cancer-related fatigue symptoms [Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)], negative emotions [Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD)], and medication compliance were compared between the two groups.

Results: After care, the FACT-B scores of the music therapy group were significantly higher than those of the hospice care group, whereas its VAS, BFI, HAMA, and HAMD scores were significantly lower in the music therapy group compared to the hospice care group (P < 0.05). The total compliance rate of the music therapy group was 96.67%, which was significantly higher than that of the hospice care group (80.00%, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Music therapy combined with hospice care for elderly patients with breast cancer can effectively relieve their pain and cancer-related fatigue symptoms, reduce their negative emotions, and improve their therapy compliance and quality of life.