Meet Kimberson Tanco, M.D.
Kimberson C. Tanco, M.D.
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Dr. Tanco
Dr. Kimberson Tanco specializes in improving palliative care interventions and achieving optimal symptom control in patients at various phases along the cancer continuum. He received his medical degree and internship training at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in the Philippines, completed residency at St. John's Episcopal Hospital, and fellowship in palliative medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Tanco has been a member of the MD Anderson faculty since 2012. He is the Associate Fellowship Program Director for Hospice and Palliative Medicine. His research focuses on cannabis use, pain management and chemical coping, caregiver distress, and physician-patient communication.
In the News
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Dr. Tanco's research interests include Caregiver Distress and Cancer Pain.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2005 | University of Santo Tomas, Manila, PHL, MD, Medicine |
| 2001 | University of Santo Tomas, Manila, PHL, BS, Biology |
Postgraduate Training
| 2011-2012 | Clinical Fellowship, Hospice and Palliative Care, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2008-2011 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, St. John's Episcopal Hospital, Far Rockaway, NY |
| 2005-2006 | Clinical Internship, General Medicine, University of Santo Tomas, Manila |
Board Certifications
| 2021 | Internal Medicine |
| 2012 | Palliative Medicine |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012 - 2019
Honors & Awards
| 2005 | Magna Cum Laude - Doctor of Medicine, University of Santo Tomas |
| 2001 | University of Santo Tomas Scholar, University of Santo Tomas |
| 2001 | Magna Cum Laude - BS Biology Accelerated, University of Santo Tomas |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Tanco K, Arthur J, Haider A, Stephen S, Yennu S, Liu D, Bruera E. The impact of a simplified documentation method for the Edmonton classification system for cancer pain (ECS-CP) on clinician utilization. Support Care Cancer 25(2):575-580, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27722795.
- Tanco K, Rhondali W, Park M, Liu DD, Bruera E. Predictors of trust in the medical profession among cancer patients receiving palliative care: a preliminary study. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Arthur J, Yennurajalingam S, Williams J, Tanco K, Liu D, Stephen S, Bruera E.. Development of a Question Prompt Sheet for Cancer Patients Receiving Outpatient Palliative Care. Journal of Palliative Medicine. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27175461.
- Tanco K, Park JC, Cerana A, Sisson A, Sobti N, Bruera E. A systematic review of instruments assessing dimensions of distress among caregivers of adult and pediatric cancer patients. Palliat Support Care:1-15. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27021206.
- Reddy.A, de la Cruz.M, Vidal.M, Tanco.K, Silvestre.J, Liu.D, Wu.J, Azhar.A, and Bruera.E. The Impact of a Palliative Care Checklist on Clinical Documentation. Journal of Oncology Practice:e241-e247, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26733626.
- de la Cruz M, Reddy A, Vidal M, Tanco K, Azhar A, Silvestre J, Liu DD, Wu J, Bruera E. Impact of a Palliative Care Checklist on Clinical Documentation. J Oncol Pract 12(2):e241-7, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26733626.
- Kim YJ, Dev R, Reddy A, Hui D, Tanco K, Park M, Liu D, Williams J, Bruera E. Association Between Tobacco Use, Symptom Expression, and Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use in Advanced Cancer Patients. J Pain Symptom Manage. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26703372.
- Arthur J, Yennurajalingam S, Nguyen L, Tanco K, Chisholm G, Hui D, Bruera E. The routine use of the Edmonton Classification System for Cancer Pain in an outpatient supportive care center. Palliat Support Care 13(5):185-92, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25311930.
- de la Cruz M, Fan J, Yennu S, Tanco K, Shin S, Wu J, Liu D, Bruera E. The frequency of missed delirium in patients referred to palliative care in a comprehensive cancer center. Support Care Cancer 23(8):2427-33, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25617070.
- Tanco K, Kwon JH, Park JC, Wong A, Seo L, Liu D, Chisholm G, Williams J, Hui D, Bruera E. Frequency, Predictors, and Medical Record Documentation of Chemical Coping Among Advanced Cancer Patients. Oncologist 20(6):692-7, 2015. PMID: 25933929.
- Pimentel LE, Yennurajalingam S, Chisholm G, Edwards T, Guerra-Sanchez M, De La Cruz M, Tanco K, Vidal M, Bruera E. The Frequency and Factors Associated with the Use of a Dedicated Supportive Care Center Telephone Triaging Program in Patients with Advanced Cancer at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. J Pain Symptom Manage 49(5):939-44, 2015. PMID: 25666520.
- Tanco K, Rhondali W, Perez-Cruz P, Tanzi S, Chisholm GB, Baile W, Frisbee-Hume S, Williams J, Masino C, Cantu H, Sisson A, Arthur J, Bruera E. Patient Perception of Physician Compassion After a More Optimistic vs a Less Optimistic Message: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol 1(2):176-83, 2015. PMID: 26181019.
- Tanco K, Didwaniya N, de la Cruz M, Bruera E. The need for a multidisciplinary approach to pain management in advanced cancer: a clinical case. Palliat Support Care(13):389-394, 2015. PMID: 25907373.
- Tanco K, Bruera SE, Bruera E. Insurance company denial of payment and enforced changes in the type and dose of opioid analgesics for patients with cancer pain. Palliat Support Care(6):12:515-518, 2014. PMID: 26223704.
- Reddy A, Yennurajalingam S, Desai H, Reddy S, de la Cruz M, Wu J, Liu D, Rodriguez EM, Waletich J, Shin SH, Gayle V, Patel P, Dalal S, Vidal M, Tanco K, Arthur J, Tallie K, Williams J, Silvestre J, Bruera E. The opioid rotation ratio of hydrocodone to strong opioids in cancer patients. Oncologist 19(11):1186-93, 2014. PMID: 25342316.
- Tanco K, Kwon JH, Hui D, Reddy A, Bruera E. Chemical coping versus pseudoaddiction in patients with cancer pain. Palliat Support Care 12(5):413-417, 2014. PMID: 24524251.
- Hui D, Karuturi MS, Tanco KC, Kwon JH, Kim SH, Zhang T, Kang JH, Chisholm G, Bruera E. Targeted agent use in cancer patients at the end of life. J Pain Symptom Manage 46(1):1-8, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23211648.
- Hui D, Kim SH, Kwon JH, Tanco KC, Zhang T, Kang JH, Rhondali W, Chisholm G, Bruera E. Access to palliative care among patients treated at a comprehensive cancer center. Oncologist 17(12):1574-80, 2012. PMID: 23220843.
Invited Articles
- Tanco KC, Dalal S, Bruera E. State of art of managing pain in patients with cancer. Cancer J 19(5):379-89, 2013. PMID: 24051610.
Abstracts
- Kwon JH, Tanco K, Park JC, Wong A, Seo L, Liu D, Chisholm G, Williams J, Hui D, Bruera E. Frequency, predictors and medical record documentation of chemical coping among advanced cancer patients.MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2015.
- Kwon JH, Tanco K, Park JC, Wong A, Seo L, Liu D, Chisholm G, Williams J, Hui D, Bruera E. Frequency, predictors and medical record documentation of chemical coping among advanced cancer patients. 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting 5/2015. American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2015.
- Tanco K, Rhondali W, Perez-Cruz PE, Tanzi S, Chisholm G, Baile W, Sisson A, Arthur J, Bruera E. Patient evaluation of a physician conveying a more optimistic versus a less optimistic message: A randomized controlled trial. MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer:176-183, 2015. PMID: 26181019.
- Tanco K, Park JC, Sisson A, Sobti N, Bruera E.. Screening cancer caregivers: a systematic review of cancer caregiver instruments. MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2015.
- Tanco K, Rhondali W, Perez-Cruz PE, Tanzi S, Chisholm G, Baile W, Sisson A, Arthur J, Bruera E. Patient evaluation of a physician conveying a more optimistic versus a less optimistic message: A randomized controlled trial. ASCO Meeting Abstracts - Journal of Clinical Oncology 32(suppl_31 (abstract 88)), 2014.
- Yennu S, Fossella F, Williams J, Berg E, Mewenenessi T, Hui D, Tanco K, Chisholm G, Vidal M, Cantu H, Guerra-Sanchez M, Young A, Reddy S, Bruera E. Outcomes of early palliative care referrals for patients with advanced lung cancer. ASCO Meeting Abstracts - Journal of Clinical Oncology 32(suppl_31 (abstract 9625)), 2014.
- Pimentel L, Yennurajalingam S, Chisolm G, Edwards T, Guerra Sanchez M, de la Cruz M, Vidal M, Tanco K, Bruera E. Impact of a Dedicated Supportive Care Center Telephone Triaging Program (SCCTP) for Patients With Advanced Cancer. ASCO Meeting Abstracts-Journal of Clinical Oncology 31(31_Suppl), 2013.
- de la Cruz M, Didwaniya N, Tanco K, Shin S, Reddy A, San Miguel Arregui M, Bruera E, Chisolm G, Williams J,. The Frequency of Falls in Patients With Advanced Cancer Followed in an Outpatient Palliative Care Center. ASCO Meeting Abstracts - Journal of Clinical Oncology 31(31_Suppl):225, 2013.
- de la Cruz M, Reddy A, Tanco K, Vidal M, Azhar A, Silvestre J, Chisolm G, Williams J, Bruera E. Palliative Care Checklist: A Documentation Improvement Tool. ASCO Meeting Abstracts - Journal of Clinical Oncology 31(31_Suppl):142, 2013.
- Hui D, Karuturi MS, Tanco KC, Kwon JH, Kim SH, Zhang T, Kang JH, Chisholm G, Bruera E. Targeted Agent Use in Cancer Patients at the End of Life. J Pain Symptom Manage. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23211648.
- Tanco K, Hui D, Kim, SH, Kwon JH, Zhang T, Kang JH, Rhondali W, et al. Predictors of Palliative Care (PC) Referral for Advanced Cancer Patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology 30, 2012.
- Tanco K, Hui D, Kim SH, Kwon JH, Tao Z, Rhondali W, Chisholm G, de la Cruz M, Sri Karuturi M, Bruera E,. Predictors of palliative care (PC) referral for advanced cancer patients. ASCO Meeting Abstracts - J Clin Oncol 30(15_suppl), 2012.
- Karaturu M, Tanco K, Kwon JH, Zhang T, Rhondali W, Kang JH, Chisholm G, Bruera E. Targeted agent (TA) use at the end of life (EOL). ASCO Meeting Abstratcs - J Clin Oncol 30(suppl_15), 2012.
- Tanco, K. Fat Embolism: A Fatal Case in a Patient with Acute Chest Syndrome and Sickle Cell Disease. Medical Society of the State of New York Resident, Fellow, and Medical Student Research Poster Symposium - Abstract Book:48, 2011.
- Tanco K. HTLV-1 - Associated Acute Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Presenting as Carcinomatous Meningitis and severe Hypercalcemia. Medical Society of the State of New York Resident, Fellow, and Medical Student Research Poster Symposium - Abstract Book:55, 2011.
- Tanco K. Severe Thrombocytopenia Associated with Acute Epstein-Barr Virus Infection in an Elderly Woman. Medical Society of the State of New York Resident, Fellow, and Medical Student Research Poster Symposium - Abstract Book:69, 2011.
- Tanco, KC. Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Anorectum in a 35 Year Old Woman. New York Chapter of the American College of Physicians Annual Meeting 2010, 2010.
Book Chapters
- Bruera E, Higginson I, Ripomonti C, et al. Geriatric Palliative Care. In: Textbook of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care, 2nd Edition, 2016.
- Bruera E, Higginson I, Ripomonti C, et al. Hypercalcemia. In: Textbook of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care, 2016.
- Tanco K. Hypercalcemia. In: Internal Medicine Issues in Palliative Cancer Care. Oxford University Press, 2014.
- Tanco K. Hypercalcemia in the Cancer Patient. In: Cancer Rehabilitation Textbook. Demos Medical Publishing, 80-81, 2013.
- Tanco K. Cancer Pain Management, Opioid Side Effects, Cognitive Dysfunction. In: Encyclopedia of Pain. 2nd. Springer-Verlag: Berlin Heidelberg, 2013.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified January 03, 2024