Oxidative Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Breast Cancer Patients: Impact of Music Therapy

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of breast cancer, and also of depression which can affect the ability to deal with cancer. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of a group psychotherapy with elements of music therapy in a population of patients suffering from breast cancer, treated with surgery and undergoing post-operative RT. Study outcomes will be the following: 1. Effectiveness of the proposed intervention especially on anxiety and depression, as described by changes in psychometric test scores. 2. Changes of oxidative stress and inflammation markers, such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-PCR), fibrinogen and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-LPLA2), GSH, TBARS, IL4, IL6, TNF-α, α and γ tocopherol, carotenoids, folic acid, vitamin B12. 3. Correlation between changes of markers (see point 2) and the clinical/psychometric variables under study. Methods This is a prospective randomized monocentric study, which will involve patients diagnosed with early stage invasive breast cancer (pTis-1-2 N0-1 M0), who underwent conservative surgery, and candidates for adjuvant RT. Patients will be identified during the RT visit. Patients who meet the eligibility criteria and who have signed informed consent will be randomized (1:1) as follows: group supportive psychotherapy with elements of music therapy (PSY); control group - treatment as usual (TAU ). Patients will undergo psychometric assessment and blood sampling (10 ml) at T0 (baseline), T1 (last day of RT), T2 (3 months after the end of RT). Study duration will be one year; during the first 9 months, patients will be recruited and treated, in the following period follow-up evaluations will be completed and data analyses will be conducted. Sample size Based on literature data, indicating average anxiety ranges measured with a STAI score from 43.4 to 46.2 and assuming, in the experimental group, a clinically significant reduction of 9 points (Bulfone