Echoing some posts in other topics, depression is a very real risk to those of us with oral cancer. I don't have any answers but if you are feeling blue, it seems that you have lots of company. Surfing Medscape I found these May 08 quotes from William M. Lydiatt, MD, professor and division chief, head and neck surgical oncology, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha,

"Depression in patients with head or neck cancer is among the highest � if not the highest � of all cancer patients", Dr. Lydiatt told Medscape Psychiatry. "I think that's because the cancers affect the most basic aspects of humanity; they may affect your facial appearance; they may affect your ability to eat, to speak, and to breathe; and this interferes with the most basic of activities."

In addition, the treatment itself � which can involve long and arduous radiation and/or chemotherapy sessions � may contribute to depressed mood, said Dr. Lydiatt.

He published a report in the May issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology � Head and Neck Surgery on prophylactic anti depressants but as Medscape noted: With only 23 patients in the study, its lack of statistical power is a main weakness.

My recommendation is daily use of the OCF Forum - which unlike anti depressants has no known bad side effects.