Behavior Change Wheel-Based Music Listening for Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Patients (BCW-MUSIC)

June 7, 2026 updated by: Weijuan Yang, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University

Effect of a Behavior Change Wheel-Based Music Listening Intervention on Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Patients: An Assessor-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Breast cancer patients frequently experience chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), which can negatively affect memory, attention, executive function, daily activities, and quality of life. Effective non-pharmacological interventions for CRCI remain limited.

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a Behavior Change Wheel (BCW)-based music listening intervention in improving cognitive function among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A total of 90 eligible participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a BCW-based music listening intervention group or a routine care control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive a 12-week music listening program in addition to routine care, while participants in the control group will receive routine care alone.

The primary outcome is the change in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) total score from baseline to the end of the intervention. Secondary outcomes include FACT-Cog subscale scores and PROMIS anxiety and depression scores. This study aims to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a theory-based music listening intervention for managing chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients.

This study was registered retrospectively after completion of participant enrollment and follow-up.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is a single-center, assessor-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Behavior Change Wheel-based music listening intervention for chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients. Eligible participants were adult female patients with histopathologically confirmed breast cancer who received chemotherapy. A total of 90 participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group or the control group. Participants in the intervention group received routine nursing care plus a 12-week BCW-based music listening intervention, which included relationship building, health education, family involvement, individualized planning, self-training, behavioral reinforcement, and regular feedback. Participants were instructed to listen to self-selected music for at least 20 minutes per day. Participants in the control group received routine nursing care, including health education, educational materials, online support, and regular follow-up. The primary outcome was the change in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function total score from baseline to Week 12. Secondary outcomes included FACT-Cog subscale scores and PROMIS anxiety and depression scores. Primary analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle, and analysis of covariance was used to compare post-intervention outcomes between groups while adjusting for baseline values. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before enrollment. This study was registered retrospectively after completion of participant enrollment and follow-up.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
90

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Jiangsu
      • Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, 210029
        • The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Histopathologically confirmed breast cancer.
  2. Female patients aged 18 years or older.
  3. Patients receiving chemotherapy with at least six planned cycles.
  4. Able to understand the study procedures and complete the required questionnaires.
  5. Provided written informed consent and voluntarily agreed to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Visual, hearing, or speech impairment that may affect participation in the intervention or outcome assessment.
  2. Cognitive impairment caused by other diseases.
  3. Metastatic breast cancer or cachexia.
  4. Receiving other interventions specifically targeting cognitive impairment.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: BCW-Based Music Listening Intervention Group
Participants in this group received routine nursing care plus a Behavior Change Wheel-based music listening intervention for 12 weeks. The intervention included relationship building, health education, family involvement, individualized planning, self-training, behavioral reinforcement, daily music listening, and regular feedback. Participants were instructed to listen to self-selected music for at least 20 minutes per day.
Behavioral: BCW-Based Music Listening Intervention
The intervention was a 12-week Behavior Change Wheel-based music listening program provided in addition to routine nursing care. It included relationship building, health education, family involvement, individualized planning, self-training, behavioral reinforcement, daily music listening, and regular feedback. Participants were instructed to listen to self-selected music for at least 20 minutes per day throughout the intervention period.
Behavioral: Routine Nursing Care
Routine nursing care included health education after chemotherapy, educational materials, symptom management guidance, dietary advice, relaxation training, medication guidance, psychological support, WeChat-based information sharing, and follow-up consultation every two weeks.
Active Comparator: Routine Care Control Group
Participants in this group received routine nursing care, including health education after chemotherapy, educational materials, symptom management guidance, dietary advice, relaxation training, medication guidance, psychological support, WeChat-based information sharing, and follow-up consultation every two weeks.
Behavioral: Routine Nursing Care
Routine nursing care included health education after chemotherapy, educational materials, symptom management guidance, dietary advice, relaxation training, medication guidance, psychological support, WeChat-based information sharing, and follow-up consultation every two weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function Total Score
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12
The primary outcome was the change in the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) total score from baseline to Week 12. The FACT-Cog includes 37 items scored on a 0 to 4 Likert scale, with a total score ranging from 0 to 148. Higher scores indicate better perceived cognitive function.
Baseline and Week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in FACT-Cog Perceived Cognitive Impairment Subscale Score
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12
Change in the perceived cognitive impairment subscale score of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) from baseline to Week 12. Higher scores indicate better perceived cognitive function.
Baseline and Week 12
Change in FACT-Cog Comments From Others Subscale Score
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12
Change in the comments from others subscale score of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) from baseline to Week 12. Higher scores indicate better perceived cognitive function.
Baseline and Week 12
Change in FACT-Cog Perceived Cognitive Abilities Subscale Score
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12
Change in the perceived cognitive abilities subscale score of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) from baseline to Week 12. Higher scores indicate better perceived cognitive function.
Baseline and Week 12
Change in FACT-Cog Impact on Quality of Life Subscale Score
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12
Change in the impact on quality of life subscale score of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) from baseline to Week 12. Higher scores indicate less impact of cognitive symptoms on quality of life.
Baseline and Week 12
Change in PROMIS Depression Short Form Score
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12
Change in depressive symptoms assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression Short Form from baseline to Week 12. The scale includes 8 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.
Baseline and Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 7, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 11, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 7, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NMU-BCW-MUSIC-CRCI-2025 (Other Identifier: The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be publicly shared because the study data contain personal health information, questionnaire responses, and clinical treatment information. Public sharing may increase the risk of participant identification. Data access is restricted by participant privacy protection requirements and institutional data management policies. Researchers with reasonable academic requests may contact the principal investigator, and any data access will be subject to approval by the study institution and ethics committee.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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