Research in order to identify the importance of spirituality in cancer patients to fight illness and treatment process. Qualitative, descriptive research and field. Semi-structured interview was held with ten cancer patients being treated in away from home in a city in the extreme south of Santa Catarina. The analysis and interpretation of data was carried out from the analysis of content, through the categorization of data. Spirituality can be a form of coping strategy of the patient before the cancer, assigning meaning to the process of illness and suffering. The nursing care must understand the spiritual dimension seeking subsidies to care fully both the cancer patient like family.