Our study evaluated socio-demographic variables extensively and found no statistically significant differences between those with a psychiatric diagnosis and those without. This is unlike the general population, where certain psychosocial variables, such as age, gender, marital status and social class, are established predisposing factors for psychiatric conditions. This by no means discounts the sociological factors but it also suggests that illness factors, treatment, the significance of receiving a diagnosis of cancer could be of relevance.