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The Healing Arts – Forging Alliances of Arts & Medicine

International Society for Arts and Medicine (ISfAM)
18.-20.06.2026
Berlin

Meeting Abstract

Persian Medicine-Informed Music Therapy as Supportive Care in Oncology: Clinical Perspectives and Integrative Potential

Mehdi Pasalar - Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine
Ghazaleh Heydarirad - Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Nadia Rahimizade - Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine

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Background: Cancer patients frequently experience pain, anxiety, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and emotional distress during and after treatment. Music therapy is increasingly used as a supportive oncology intervention, while Persian Medicine (PM) has historically recognized music (samʿ) as a therapeutic modality for modulating emotional states, strengthening vitality, and restoring humoral balance. However, the clinical integration of PM-informed music therapy in oncology has not been systematically explored.

Objectives: To examine the relevance of music therapy principles in Persian Medicine for supportive cancer care and to align traditional concepts with contemporary clinical oncology outcomes.

Methods: Classical PM texts were reviewed to identify therapeutic indications, individualization principles (e.g., mizaj), and intended effects of music-based interventions. These concepts were then mapped onto modern clinical oncology research on music therapy, focusing on outcomes such as pain, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, fatigue, autonomic regulation, and quality of life.

Results/Insights: PM emphasizes individualized music selection according to patient temperament, emotional state, and disease phase, which aligns with personalized supportive care in oncology. Contemporary clinical studies demonstrate that music therapy can reduce psychological distress, improve symptom control, and enhance patient-reported quality of life during chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Incorporating PM-based individualization may further optimize therapeutic responsiveness and patient engagement.

Conclusion/Implications: Persian Medicine-informed music therapy represents a culturally grounded, non-pharmacological supportive care approach with potential benefits for symptom management and well-being in oncology patients. Developing structured, PM-guided clinical protocols and evaluating them through pragmatic trials may strengthen integrative oncology care and expand evidence-based supportive interventions.