Nursing research drives music-based cancer pain management
Pain affects nearly half of the 18.6 million cancer survivors in the United States, often lasting well after treatment and interfering with sleep, movement, and overall quality of life. While both medication-based and non-medication strategies are available, many survivors still find it difficult to access safe, sustainable, and practical options, especially during hospitalization and the vulnerable transition home. Growing concern over long-term opioid dependence and limited access to evidence-based complementary therapies has emphasized the need for new, scalable solutions that can be easily implemented in both clinical and home settings.
Although music therapy is a well-established field in the United States, the adoption of prescribable digital music applications in mainstream medical practice remains in its early stages. Despite strong evidence supporting music’s therapeutic benefits, the U.S. has been slower to implement standardized, clinically integrated digital tools because they need thorough validation and smooth integration into electronic health records. This gap leaves patients with limited access to technology-enabled options during their most critical moments.
Rachel H. Adler
With support from a University of Arizona Cancer Center Internal Pilot Award, Rachel H. Adler, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, AGNP-C, will lead a nursing-driven study to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and initial clinical outcomes of MUSIC CARE©, an innovative non-pharmacological intervention aimed at improving pain management strategies. Also from the College of Nursing, Terry Badger, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, FAPOS, serves as a co-investigator, alongside a university interdisciplinary team of partners from integrative medicine, oncology, public health, and a Tucson-based healing center who bring additional clinical, scientific, and methodological expertise to the project.
Unlike traditional music therapy, which relies on licensed therapists and in-person sessions, MUSIC CARE© is a self-guided, affordable mobile app used as a medical device in France. The program features specific U-, L-, and J-shaped musical sequences, patterns recognized in music research for reflecting different ways people respond to rhythm, complexity, and melody over time. These sequences combine stimulating, moderate, and slower rhythms to support both activation and relaxation. Patients can customize their experience by choosing preferred genres, tracking pain levels before and after sessions, and using the intervention twice daily for twenty minutes. Early evidence shows benefits for hospitalized cancer patients, postoperative pain, chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, and labor.
Adler’s mixed-method pilot study will enroll 30 cancer survivors who will use the intervention during their hospital stay and after discharge. The research will assess how acceptable and practical the program is for patients, how easily it can be integrated into clinical routines, and its early effects on pain, anxiety, mood, medication use, and hospital readmission. A second phase will gather insights from ten clinical stakeholders, including nurses, physicians, and case managers, whose perspectives will help the team evaluate real-world implementation and identify ways the intervention could support long-term survivorship.
The project team is currently preparing materials for submission to the Institutional Review Board. Data collection will start in February 2026 and conclude in November 2026. After completing data analysis, the study will end in January 2027. This schedule allows the team to use pilot results as a basis for pursuing larger, fully powered clinical trials. For Adler, the award represents a significant milestone in advancing nursing-led innovations in cancer care.
"As a psychiatric nurse practitioner and medical anthropologist who personally provides psycho-oncological care to cancer survivors, I am excited that the University of Arizona Cancer Center entrusted my team of clinician scientists with this important study because it has great potential to directly benefit our patients,” said Adler. “By assessing the acceptability of this innovative music intervention for managing cancer pain, we are adopting a patient-centered approach to shaping the next phase of the research. Ultimately, cancer survivors will guide every stage of this work, with careful focus on patients' lived experiences, exemplifying nursing science at its best."
“The College of Nursing is dedicated to advancing innovative methods that improve patients' lives,” said Brian Ahn, PhD, dean of the College of Nursing. “This project showcases the strength of nursing-led research and the power of collaboration across our university in addressing some of the most persistent challenges in cancer care. Dr. Adler and her interdisciplinary team are expanding what is possible in pain management with a solution that is accessible, compassionate, and evidence-based.”
By evaluating a low-risk, highly accessible tool that supports both hospital and at-home recovery, this project aims to improve pain management, decrease opioid dependence, and emphasize the essential role of nursing-led research in developing patient-centered solutions. MUSIC CARE© has the potential to greatly influence how cancer survivors experience recovery by providing a practical, evidence-based approach that improves quality of life and facilitates the integration of innovative, complementary therapies into mainstream U.S. health care.