Cancer being the most stressful events, depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric illness. Depression may interfere with cancer treatment.  Screening and assessment of depression in cancer patients is necessary for good cancer care. The main aim of this study is to screen and assess for depression in newly diagnosed cancer patients attending the oncology OPD at KAMSRC.  Patients who gave their informed consent were recruited and screened for depression using the Hospital Anxiety And Depression Scale (HADS).  The positively screened subjects were further assessed using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM–D). In the study sample age and illiteracy were the factors frequently affecting depression.