150 - SOCIAL- ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CANCER IN FEMALE PATIENTS' LIFE, AFTER DIAGNOSIS OF THE DISEASE INTRODUCTION: In 1948, it was defined by the The World Health Organization, that the word "health" would not be only related to the inexistence of any disease, but rather to the quality of life, which involves physical, mental and social health, support and satisfaction. The quality of life is affected both by the disease itself and the treatments for it (VELARDE-JURY & AVILA- FIGUEROA, 2002). When we talk about cancer, treatments jointly responsible for some of the more unpleasant collateral effects are chemotherapy and radiotherapy (PLEVOVÁ, 2002). Such collateral effects can affect the quality of life of these patients, because sometimes, they minimize their ability to perform the ADL ' s (activities of daily life). Among them, there are fever, tiredness, nausea, general weakness and fatigue (KATO, 2006). Cancer can bring body weakening (JURDANA, 2008), characterized by loss of fat and nuscle mass (JURDANA, 2009). The treatment of the disease can bring complications for the patient (HWANG et al, 2008), such as unfavorable changes in physical function, in psychosocial functioning body composition and in quality of life (COURNEYA, 2007). The incidence of cancer in Brazil grows while that grows in the rest of the world (BRAZIL, 2006). It is because of the fast urbanization, the new modes of quality of life, the changes in the form of to cover the products and new dietary habits (MARINI & BARBOSA, 2008). Patients with cancer have often, limitations in mobility (WARMS, 2006), as slow and modify steps, inability to walk and need special care (SCHNEIDER, 2007). This may be an impact factor in life of these patients and it can lead them to lose their jobs, to need to stop perform their domestic activities (MAINIO et al., 2006) and, sometimes, such as in the case of some mastectomies women, to suffer with the abandonment of the partner. Such changes can bring unpleasant social-economic impacts for the patient, because its production decreases and the family incomes generated by the partner ceases to exist after abandonment. Objective: The search was to assess the social-economic impact of female cancer patients ' lives, After the diagnosis of the disease. Materials and methods: The research, correlacional descriptive survey type study, was conducted in the form of interview, to assess the social-economic impacts of cancer, became with the treatment and physical conditions of these patients. The sample was formed by 35 patients enrolled and serviced by AVAO-voluntary association to Support the Oncology, of the town of Belém-PA, females, with average age of 56,28 (± 8,68) years, diagnosed with the following types of cancer: breast (16), cervix (13), skin (1), palate (1), parodita (1), abdomen (1), Naso-pharynx (1) and cervix + breast (1). The study was carried out the ethical precepts laid down in resolution 196/96 of National Health council (BRAZIL, 1996) and Helsinki Convention (WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, 2008), and all participants signed a free and informed consent for participation in Search, containing the search specifications, which also included at the end the Institution Information Term. The project was duly adopted in committees of ethics in research of Euroamerican Human Motricity Network of REMH, under no 007/2008, and Mario Kröeff Hospital, under paragraph 011/2008. Of exclusion criteria, there were male patients, female patients aged less than 40 years or over 70 years and patients not enrolled by AVAO. This research is due to the fact of the possibility of conducting a thorough study on the social-economic impact that such persons suffering because of their physical condition, sometimes limited, and because of the treatment imposed by disease. To conduct the research, it was used the question number 28 of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Questionnaire of Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C-30) (AARONSON et al, 1993), which consists of the following question: "your physical condition or medical treatment have brought you financial difficulties? ". This issue has four possible answers, a Likert scale, type of 4 scores (i.e. no- score 1, less- score 2, moderate- score 3, so much - score 4). Then, it was requested to the interviewed a more detailled explanation about how its social-economic situation was shaken by cancer and its treatment. For a description of the data collected, placement and dispersion measures were used. Among the first, were calculated average (x) and median (MD), which are central trend measures, i.e. that identifies the placement of the data collection Center. The dispersion measures estimate the variability existent in data. With this design, it was estimated the standard error (e) and standard deviation (s). For all procedures, a confidence interval of 5% (p < 0.05) was adopted. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Answers regarding question 28 (your physical condition or medical treatment have brought you financial difficulties?), of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C-30), were distributed this way: so much, 57,14%; no, 34,29%; less, 5,71% and moderate, 2,86%, as shown in the chart 01 below: Chart 01: Distribution by answer MARIELA FERREIRA DE SANTANA JANI CLERIA PEREIRA BEZERRA SILVIA BACELAR ESTÉLIO HENRIQUE MARTIN DANTAS Universidade Castelo Branco – Rio de Janeiro- RJ- Brasil marielasantana@gmail.com 621 Volume 80 - Special Edition - ARTICLE II - 2010 FIEP BULLETIN