This study describes a participative experience with people with cancer who were receiving ambulatory assistance in a university hospital in Rio de Janeiro. The purpose was to mobilize the clients in order to achieve the self-care and to analyse the trajectory of this mobilization. A nursing self-care conceptual framework was selected as a theoretical support. The case study and the participatory reaserch were adopted, keeping in mind a subsequent qualitative analysis. The result of this study indicate that the metodology used is viable and acts positively in the critical conscientization of the clients to self-care. Hower, the misleading approach that has been used in assisting cancer clients represents a relevant impeding question to the effective development of the client participation in the health process.