Art Therapy’s Remarkable Contribution to Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer

Art therapies provide support at different stages of cancer. Studies show that artistic treatments may also help in advanced stages, when palliative care becomes a focus. Art therapy practices were studied to demonstrate the contribution of aesthetic beauty and artistic activities to complaints experienced by palliative care patients, with promising results.

Various studies have evaluated art therapy sessions in advanced cancer patients in palliative care units. Although assessment methods vary, one study we wish to discuss adapted six symptoms (complaints) from the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESDS). These were pain, anxiety, feeling ill, fatigue, sadness and depression. Patients completed self-assessments before and after a one-hour art therapy session. After the session, an aesthetic feelings self-assessment supplemented the evaluation, followed by correlation (relationship) analysis.

In the study, 28 patients attended 63 art therapy sessions. Overall, the sessions reduced general distress by 47%. All symptoms studied — pain, anxiety, feeling ill, fatigue, sadness and depression — decreased significantly. Factors such as technical awareness, aesthetic concern and enjoyment affected symptom reduction to varying degrees.

The findings demonstrate art therapy's benefit in reducing distress during advanced cancer, the palliative care period. Researchers state that the creative process in art enables expression of anxieties and emotions that are difficult to express verbally.

In another study, advanced cancer patients received a 1-hour art lesson from a professional art therapist. One day before the session, patients explored the subject they wished to visualize. Art therapy (painting) sessions took place twice weekly at the palliative care center. Patients painted creatively as they wished, allowing them to express emotions through color and drawing and produce artworks.

This study also aimed to assess art sessions' effects on symptoms in advanced cancer and found that artistic treatments substantially supported palliative care patients.

Conclusion

Art therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing complaints experienced by advanced cancer patients too. Scientific literature includes many studies on symptom reduction and improved quality of life. Integrating artistic treatments, which can also benefit patients and families, into palliative care would therefore be very useful.

Author: Art therapist Ezgi Bilgin

• All artistic cancer treatments