Abstract: Objective To investigate the psychosocial factors in cancer patients with depression.Methods 81 cancer patients were surveyed with Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ),Defense Style Questionnaire(DSQ),Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS),Life Events Scale(LES),Symptom Checklist 90(SCL-90).60 health persons as normal controls were surveyed with SCL-90,EPQ and DSQ.Results The score of HAMD was higher in cancer patients with more complication than that with less or no complication.There was significant difference in total score,somatization,obsessive-compulsive,anxiety,depression,other score of SCL-90 among groups of cancer patients with depression,caner patients without depression and normal controls,as well as the N factor of EPQ,negative life events and immature defense.Conclusion The severity of the complications,negative life events,personality,defense style may related with the occurring and persisting of the depression in cancer patients.

Key words: cancer, depression, psychosocial factor