The role of music: Coping with cancer

Currently, little evidence has been gathered on the impact of listening to preferred music on the healing experiences of cancer patients, justifying the need for qualitative inquiry. Three disease-free women that survived breast cancer were invited to share their stories about how listening to preferred music assisted in decreasing their symptoms of depression, fatigue, and pain during their recovery. Data analysis followed a multiple case study methodology. Findings reveal the importance of listening to music and its affect on the emotional and physiological state of cancer patients, as well as their ability to cope with their illness. Four major themes emerged from the transcripts of participants: Music as Vibration, Music as Getaway, Music as Emotion Regulation, and Music as Spiritual Validation.