A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal
Mental Health Screening Tools for Cancer Patients, and Their Caregivers: An Umbrella Review
Authors: Ciria‐Suarez, Laura; Heifez, Melissa; Martín‐Parra, Sara; Durosini, Ilaria; Monzani, Dario; Coppini, Veronica; Ferrari, Maria Vittoria; Rutenkröger, Mareike; Lange, Marie; Paillard‐Brunet, Guilhem; Dodlek, Nikolina; Charalambous, Andreas; van der Weijst, Lotte; Mollo, Oscar; Pravettoni, Gabriella; Ochoa‐Arnedo, Cristian
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Psycho-Oncology
Article number: e70465
Volume: 35
Issue: 4
ISSN: 1057-9249
eISSN: 1099-1611
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70465
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70465
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523104698
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY NC
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Background
Cancer negatively affects patients' physical status as well as their mental health, increasing the burden of family members and caregivers as well. Thus, the screening of psychological and cognitive functioning is key for the referral to mental health specialists.
AimIdentify available and validated screening tools to assess psychological, psychosocial and cognitive impairment in cancer patients (adults and children), caregivers and family members.
MethodsAn umbrella review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy was applied to five databases. Reviewers screened titles/abstracts, and the articles included in this initial phase were retrieved for full-text assessment. All conflicts during the screening phase were discussed, and a third reviewer was consulted if discrepancies were not solved. A narrative synthesis and tabulated summaries of results were conducted.
ResultsA total of 2304 records were initially identified through systematic searches. Following screening and eligibility assessment, 67 systematic reviews were included. Across the included reviews, 586 different tools were identified and classified into nine thematic domains: (1) Anxiety and Depression, (2) General Mental Disorders, (3) Distress and Fear of Cancer Recurrence, (4) Body Image, Sexuality, and Self-Perception, (5) Caregiving and Social Impact, (6) Cognitive Functioning, (7) Coping Assessment, (8) Unmet Needs, and (9) Other miscellaneous constructs.
ConclusionsA wide variety of mental health screening tools are available, covering key psychosocial and cognitive aspects relevant to cancer care. Although most instruments were not specifically developed for oncological populations, many have been validated in this context and appear to perform adequately.
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Funding information in the publication:
This study has been co-funded from the European Union's EU4Health Program (EU4H-2023-PJ) under Grant Agreement Number: 101,161,236 for the project ALTHEA: tAckLing menTal Health cancer patients and their families: digital solutions for bEtter cAre. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. This work has also been supported by the Carlos III Health Institute under the FIS grants no. PI22/01,255 (co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the initiative ‘A way to build Europe’). Additionally, the research team has received financial backing from the Emergent Agència d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca of the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR), Research Group: Psycho-oncology and Digital Health (no. 2021 SGR 01003).
