The literature on the incidence of and mortality from cancer in patients with a schizophrenic disorder describes an on-going debate between those who show there is a lower incidence or that schizophrenics are immune to cancer, and those who believe the incidence is the same or greater than the normal population. Because of cognitive and perceptual deficits among schizophrenic patients, their reaction to cancer may very well be distorted or unusual to the point of impairing their ability to tolerate symptoms, treatment, and outcome. This study presents a comparison of stage of cancer at time of dignosis of cancer in a schizophrenic and normal population.