Cancer patients and music: (prospective) results from a survey to evaluate potential complementary treatment approaches.

Purpose: Many cancer patients (PTS) suffer from somatic or non-somatic symptoms. Studies have shown positive effects of music intervention (MI) on aspects of quality of life or symptom management.

Methods: Since there are poor data available about patient's needs regarding the use of MI as an adjunct to cancer treatment, n = 548 tumor PTS were polled anonymously at the outpatient department of the University Hospital Mannheim Tumor Center using a self-designed questionnaire.