[Life after childhood cancer: experiences of the survivors]

Late effects of cancer treatment in children, adolescents and young adults may be physical, social, and emotional, with effects on their quality of life. Through an ethnographic study, we sought to identify the impact on survivors' quality of life caused by late effects of treatment of childhood cancer. Twenty-one survivors participated in the study with aged between 10 and 29 years. Data were collected through interviews, observation, and clinical data from the medical charts. The data were analyzed around two themes: the experience of living with the late effects and life satisfaction. The experience revealed by children, adolescents and young adults, survivors of cancer, showed that they feel the impact of late effects in their lives. The intensity of these effects varied according to age groups, socio-cultural context, support health service and their families.