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Screening for Distress and Sources of Distress in Parents With Advanced Cancer and Their Coparents
Morgan Jones1, Katherine Voong1, Sujin Ann-Yi2
1Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
|June 23, 2026
Summary
Caregivers of cancer patients parenting young children experience significant distress. Addressing physical, emotional, and practical concerns is crucial for managing cancer-related parenting challenges and psychological symptoms in both patients and their partners.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Metastatic cancer patients and their spousal caregivers with minor children face unique cancer-related parenting concerns and psychological distress.
- This vulnerability highlights a critical need to understand the multifaceted challenges faced by these families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the extent of physical, emotional, social, practical, and spiritual concerns causing distress in cancer patients and coparents.
- To examine the associations between these distress sources and cancer-related parenting concerns and psychological symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 51 dyads of patients and coparents parenting children under 18.
- Utilized validated measures including the NCCN distress thermometer and problem list, Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
Main Results:
- Coparents reported significantly higher psychological distress than patients.
- Over half of participants experienced sleep, fatigue, and anxiety issues; coparents also reported practical problems (finances, work).
- Physical, practical, emotional, social, and spiritual problems were strongly linked to cancer-related parenting concerns for both patients and coparents.
Conclusions:
- Parents are a vulnerable group with diverse distress concerns.
- Regular, comprehensive screening for supportive care needs for both patients and coparents is essential.
- Multidisciplinary clinical teams should collaborate to address families' cancer-related concerns effectively.
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