Can music ease anxiety for End-of-Life cancer patients?

NCT ID NCT06345924

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested a music therapy program called Meraki for cancer patients receiving palliative care. The goal was to see if three music sessions could improve emotional well-being, reduce anxiety and depression, and boost quality of life. Researchers enrolled 80 patients and measured changes using standard questionnaires. The therapy focused on emotional support, family communication, and helping patients appreciate their abilities.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
music therapy
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a simple, non-drug way to help cancer patients in palliative care feel less anxious and depressed, and improve their quality of life.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed study with only 80 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Music therapy may not work for all patients, and benefits might be modest.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

80 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Mar 2024

Finished

Jul 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * The patient is receiving palliative care for an oncological diagnosis and was admitted to the hospital a week ago. They do not have moderate to severe cognitive impairment. This treatment is for oncological patients in an advanced stage who are receiving palliative anti-tumour treatment such as chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. These patients require support treatment that cannot be provided at home due to their complexity. The patient is in an advanced or terminal phase of the disease according to WHO criteria. * Be over 18 years of age. * Have preserved cognitive ability (SPMSQ, Pfeiffer). More than 2 errors (3 in illiterate persons) would suggest the presence of cognitive impairment. * Have signed the informed consent form * Have completed at least 2 of the 3 treatment sessions and have completed the pre-test and post-test assessment. Exclusion Criteria: -Estimated survival time. Patients with a life expectancy of two weeks or less shall not be operated on.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Hospital Dr. Moliner

    Serra, Valencia, Spain

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