Since the incidence of cancer in this country is high and the cancer survival rates are increasing, it is important to study coping strategies in cancer patients. As survival time lengthens, coping strategies that might affect the quality of a patient's life become increasingly important. A study was conducted to examine coping strategies in newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients (N=35). The relationships between the use of approach and avoidant coping strategies and the physical and emotional distress of subjects during the early stages of cancer treatment were evaluated. Patients were categorized on the basis of coping strategy at the time of diagnosis and were then evaluated twice during the course of their treatment at 4 to 6 week intervals. The results indicated that cancer patients who predominantly employed either approach or avoidant strategies had lower initial levels of emotional distress than did patients who did not use either of these strategies. Although symptoms of distress decreased in patients using approach or avoidance, symptoms increased for those patients who did not use these strategies. The level of stress for this cancer population was found to be highest at the point of confirmed diagnosis and to recede during the course of treatment. These findings suggest both theoretical and clinical implications. (NB)