Defining Musical Toxicity and Its Effect on Patient Well-being

Recruiting

• Conditions: Lung Carcinoma; Malignant Brain Neoplasm; Esophageal Carcinoma; Malignant Solid Neoplasm; Breast Carcinoma; Head and Neck Carcinoma
• Interventions: Other: Non-Interventional Study

• Registration Number: NCT06494046
• Lead Sponsor: Mayo Clinic

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the experience of musicians who are going through cancer treatment.

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Describe specific musical difficulties that arise during and after cancer treatments: define "musical toxicity".

II. Discover any interventions or treatments which musicians found helpful while going through cancer treatment.

III. Investigate whether the priority of playing music changed through the course of cancer treatment and beyond, in relation to other priorities including cancer cure and length of life.

IV. Discover treatment and cancer related factors which are correlated with worse musical toxicity.

OUTLINE: This is an observational study. Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups.

MUSICAL TOXICITY GROUP: Patients complete a questionnaire, participate in an interview and have their medical records reviewed on study.

NO MUSICAL TOXICITY GROUP: Patients have their medical records reviewed on study.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-07-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-07-02
• Study First Posted: 2024-07-10
• Study Start: 2024-08-15
• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-02-27
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-03
• Primary Completion: 2025-09-30
• Study Completion: 2025-09-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 64

Inclusion Criteria

• * Adults ≥ 18 years or older

  • Active or accomplished musicians

    • Those performing in the community as part of a group or as a soloist
    • Those teaching lessons in an individual or group setting
    • Those for whom music teaching or performance is a primary source of income
    • Those who play music multiple times per week

  • Our ideal cohort will consist of an equal number of patients with the following malignancies above the diaphragm:

    • Brain
    • Head and Neck
    • Esophagus or Lung
    • Breast

  • Our ideal cohort will consist of an equal number of patients who engage in the following musical endeavors:

    • Stringed instruments
    • Wind instruments (including woodwind and brass instruments)
    • Keyboard instruments
    • Vocalists

Exclusion Criteria

• * < 18 years

  • Did not regularly attempt to engage in musical endeavors during or after cancer treatment
  • Not willing or able to complete the questionnaire or engage in a one-hour interview (i.e. limited English proficiency)

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Observational Musical Toxicity Group	Non-Interventional Study	Patients complete a questionnaire, participate in an interview and their medical records reviewed on study.
Observational No Musical Toxicity Group	Non-Interventional Study	Patients have their medical records reviewed on study.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Describe specific musical difficulties that arise during and after cancer treatments - MTQ 10-item	Baseline	Assessed using the Musical Toxicity Questionnaire (MTQ 10-item), a survey with yes/no and open-ended questions (e.g., What musical instrument do you play, or do you sing?). The survey is designed to capture the participant's thoughts and feelings on how cancer treatments (before and after) has affected enjoyment and ability to play, teach, or perform music. The questionnaire will take about 15-30 minutes to complete. Qualitative analysis software will be utilized to code responses and organize themes. Themes will be organized into related groups and interpreted to generate conclusions.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Mayo Clinic in Rochester; 🇺🇸 Rochester, Minnesota, United States