[Breast cancer mortality in women from Maringá city, Paraná State, Brazil].

This study aims at analyzing the mortality behavior by breast cancer in women from Maringá city, Paraná state, Brazil, from 1990 to 2004. It is a quantitative, descriptive and transversal cut study. The data were collected from the Information System on Mortality of the Health Ministry where the following variables were considered: age, educational level and race/ color groups. The result showed 170 deaths by breast cancer in the period studied gradually ascending during the first triennium, decreasing in the second triennium and soon rising until 2004. For the period of eight years it was noticed an increase of obits predominantly in women aged between 40 and 69 years and presenting an educational level of eight completed years at school. There was an expressive increase of mortality in white women but not statistically significant. This study suggests immediate preventive measures in order to reduce the number of deaths due to this disease