Aims   The death of a loved one is one of the most stressful events in life and is related to the physical and psychological wellbeing of the bereaved. Some bereaved individuals seek medical counseling to alleviate their distress. However, no studies have focused on the bereaved who lost a loved one with cancer and asked for medical help at a cancer center as a result. The aim of this study was to investigate the distress of the bereaved who sought medical counseling, in order to obtain some basic information needed for the provision of effective medical help for these subjects.  Methods   We conducted a survey of people consulting outpatient services for bereaved families between April 2007 and September 2009. Data were obtained from medical records at initial consultation and qualitatively analyzed by content analysis using all statements related to their distress.  Results   During the study period, fifty-one patients (bereaved) consulted the outpatient service for bereaved families. And, according to inclusion/exclusion criteria, 21 bereaved were surveyed.　Their statements were classified into 11 categories, which were further classified into 6 themes. The main categories of bereavement-related distress were as follows: (i) regret; (ii) anger; (iii) memories; (iv) loneliness; (v) anxiety; and (vi) hopelessness. “Regret” was frequently recognized in their distress and it includes some points related to the cancer trajectory.  Conclusions   Psychological distresses of the bereaved who lost a loved one and asked for medical counseling are revealed. Their distresses are strongly related to cancer trajectory of a family member, and their perception of the death. Some of these distresses are related to medical misunderstanding about the course of cancer. These findings might provide basic information for considering their appropriate treatment.