Patients attending a regional head and neck Oncology Unit were assessed for depression and anxiety (using the Leeds self-assessment scales) before diagnostic biopsy investigations. At the time of the assessments, neither patients nor investigators knew the biopsy results. Patients whose biopsies subsequently proved positive (showing the presence of a tumour) had significantly higher depression scores than those whose biopsies were negative. Differences in mean anxiety scores did not differ between groups. It is suggested that depression is part of the clinical picture of head and neck cancer.