Symptoms of Depression Are Not a Risk for Cancer Morbidity and Mortality

Psychological depression has been identified as one of several emotional conditions that may influence immunological and hormonal functioning (Katz et al., 1970; Seligman, 1975; Solomon & Amkraut, 1983). Depression has been proposed as an important source of vulnerability leading to morbidity or mortality (Greene, 1966; LeShan, 1959), and its association with cancer has been the focus of several studies and reviews (Bieliauskas & Garron, 1982; Fox, 1978; 1983).