Music, immunity and cancer Marı ´a J. Nu ´n ˜ez, Paula Man ˜a ´, David Lin ˜ares, Marı ´a P. Riveiro, Jose ´ Balboa, Juan Sua ´rez-Quintanilla, Mo ´nica Maracchi, Manuel Rey Me ´ndez, Jose ´ M. Lo ´pez, Manuel Freire-Garabal * Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Received 11 July 2001; accepted 8 February 2002 Abstract The effects of music on the immune system and cancer development were evaluated in rodents subjected to sound stress. Animals were exposed daily to broad band noise around midnight and/or music for 5 hours on the following morning. Thymus and spleen cellularity, peripheral T lymphocyte population, the proliferative response of spleen cells to mitogen concanavalin A and natural killer cell activity were calculated in BALB/c mice. Sprague Dawley rats were injected i.v. with Walker 256 carcinosarcoma cells; 8 days later the rats were sacrificed and the number of metastatic nodules on the surface of the lungs was calculated macroscopically. Music reduced the suppressive effects of stress on immune parameters in mice and decreased the enhancing effects of stress on the development of lung metastases provoked by carcinosarcoma cells. Music enhanced the immune parameters and the anti-tumor response in unstressed rodents. Our data at present demonstrates that music can effectively reverse adverse effects of stress on the number and capacities of lymphocytes that are required for an optimal immunological response against cancer in rodents. D 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Music; Stress; Immunity; Cancer; Mice; T cells; Natural Killer; Walker Rat Carcinoma 1. Introduction Music, a universal language with many purposes, has been used in the health care setting to reduced stress and anxiety [1]. Although it is still controversial, a number of studies suggest that music may facilitate a reduction in the stress response. Decreases in heart rate, greater tolerance of pain and 0024-3205/02/$ - see front matter D 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved. PII:S0024-3205(02)01796-4 * Corresponding author. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, C/San Francisco s/n, 15782-Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Tel.: +34-600-942-256; fax: +34-981-573-191. E-mail address: fffregar@usc.es (M. Freire-Garabal). www.elsevier.com/locate/lifescie Life Sciences 71 (2002) 1047 – 1057