Chapter 15: Oncology Nursing Management in Cancer Care
Hinkle: Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical
Nursing, 13th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The public health nurse is presenting a health-promotion class to a group at a
local community center. Which intervention most directly addresses the
leading cause of cancer deaths in North America?
A) Monthly self-breast exams
B) Smoking cessation
C) Annual colonoscopies
D) Monthly testicular exams
ANS: B
Cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a leading cause of death in
the United States. Although the numbers of cancer deaths have decreased
slightly, more than 570,000 Americans were expected to die from a malignant
process in 2011. The leading causes of cancer death in the United States, in
order of frequency, are lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer in men and lung,
breast, and colorectal cancer in women, so smoking cessation is the health
promotion initiative directly related to lung cancer.
2. A nurse who works in an oncology clinic is assessing a patient who has arrived for a 2-
month
follow-up appointment following chemotherapy. The nurse notes that the
patient's skin appears yellow. Which blood tests should be done to further
explore this clinical sign?
A) Liver function tests (LFTs)
B) Complete blood count (CBC)
C) Platelet count
D) Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine
, ANS: A
Yellow skin is a sign of jaundice and the liver is a common organ affected by
metastatic disease. An LFT should be done to determine if the liver is
functioning. A CBC, platelet count and tests of renal function would not directly
assess for liver disease.
3. The school nurse is teaching a nutrition class in the local high school. One
student states that he has heard that certain foods can increase the incidence of
cancer. The nurse responds, Research has shown that certain foods indeed
appear to increase the risk of cancer. Which of the following menu selections
would be the best choice for potentially reducing the risks of cancer?
A) Smoked salmon and green beans
B) Pork chops and fried green tomatoes
C) Baked apricot chicken and steamed broccoli
D) Liver, onions, and steamed peas
ANS: C
Fruits and vegetables appear to reduce cancer risk. Salt-cured foods, such as ham
and processed meats, as well as red meats, should be limited.
4. Traditionally, nurses have been involved with tertiary cancer prevention.
However, an increasing emphasis is being placed on both primary and
secondary prevention. What would be an example of primary prevention?
A) Yearly Pap tests
B) Testicular self-examination
C) Teaching patients to wear sunscreen
D) Screening mammograms
ANS: C
Primary prevention is concerned with reducing the risks of cancer in healthy
people through practices such as use of sunscreen. Secondary prevention
involves detection and screening to achieve early diagnosis, as demonstrated by
Pap tests, mammograms, and testicular exams.
, 5. The nurse is caring for a 39-year-old woman with a family history of breast
cancer. She requested a breast tumor marking test and the results have come
back positive. As a result, the patient is requesting a bilateral mastectomy. This
surgery is an example of what type of oncologic surgery?
A) Salvage surgery
B) Palliative surgery
C) Prophylactic surgery
D) Reconstructive surgery
ANS: C
Prophylactic surgery is used when there is an extensive family history and
nonvital tissues are removed. Salvage surgery is an additional treatment option
that uses an extensive surgical approach to treat the local recurrence of a cancer
after the use of a less extensive primary approach. Palliative surgery is
performed in an attempt to relieve complications of cancer, such as ulceration,
obstruction, hemorrhage, pain, and malignant effusion. Reconstructive surgery
may follow curative or radical surgery in an attempt to improve function or
obtain a more desirable cosmetic effect.
6. The nurse is caring for a patient who is to begin receiving external radiation for
a malignant tumor of the neck. While providing patient education, what
potential adverse effects should the nurse discuss with the patient?
A) Impaired nutritional status
B) Cognitive changes
C) Diarrhea
D) Alopecia
ANS: A
Alterations in oral mucosa, change and loss of taste, pain, and dysphasia often
occur as a result of radiotherapy to the head and neck. The patient is at an
increased risk of impaired nutritional status. Radiotherapy does not cause
Hinkle: Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical
Nursing, 13th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The public health nurse is presenting a health-promotion class to a group at a
local community center. Which intervention most directly addresses the
leading cause of cancer deaths in North America?
A) Monthly self-breast exams
B) Smoking cessation
C) Annual colonoscopies
D) Monthly testicular exams
ANS: B
Cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a leading cause of death in
the United States. Although the numbers of cancer deaths have decreased
slightly, more than 570,000 Americans were expected to die from a malignant
process in 2011. The leading causes of cancer death in the United States, in
order of frequency, are lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer in men and lung,
breast, and colorectal cancer in women, so smoking cessation is the health
promotion initiative directly related to lung cancer.
2. A nurse who works in an oncology clinic is assessing a patient who has arrived for a 2-
month
follow-up appointment following chemotherapy. The nurse notes that the
patient's skin appears yellow. Which blood tests should be done to further
explore this clinical sign?
A) Liver function tests (LFTs)
B) Complete blood count (CBC)
C) Platelet count
D) Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine
, ANS: A
Yellow skin is a sign of jaundice and the liver is a common organ affected by
metastatic disease. An LFT should be done to determine if the liver is
functioning. A CBC, platelet count and tests of renal function would not directly
assess for liver disease.
3. The school nurse is teaching a nutrition class in the local high school. One
student states that he has heard that certain foods can increase the incidence of
cancer. The nurse responds, Research has shown that certain foods indeed
appear to increase the risk of cancer. Which of the following menu selections
would be the best choice for potentially reducing the risks of cancer?
A) Smoked salmon and green beans
B) Pork chops and fried green tomatoes
C) Baked apricot chicken and steamed broccoli
D) Liver, onions, and steamed peas
ANS: C
Fruits and vegetables appear to reduce cancer risk. Salt-cured foods, such as ham
and processed meats, as well as red meats, should be limited.
4. Traditionally, nurses have been involved with tertiary cancer prevention.
However, an increasing emphasis is being placed on both primary and
secondary prevention. What would be an example of primary prevention?
A) Yearly Pap tests
B) Testicular self-examination
C) Teaching patients to wear sunscreen
D) Screening mammograms
ANS: C
Primary prevention is concerned with reducing the risks of cancer in healthy
people through practices such as use of sunscreen. Secondary prevention
involves detection and screening to achieve early diagnosis, as demonstrated by
Pap tests, mammograms, and testicular exams.
, 5. The nurse is caring for a 39-year-old woman with a family history of breast
cancer. She requested a breast tumor marking test and the results have come
back positive. As a result, the patient is requesting a bilateral mastectomy. This
surgery is an example of what type of oncologic surgery?
A) Salvage surgery
B) Palliative surgery
C) Prophylactic surgery
D) Reconstructive surgery
ANS: C
Prophylactic surgery is used when there is an extensive family history and
nonvital tissues are removed. Salvage surgery is an additional treatment option
that uses an extensive surgical approach to treat the local recurrence of a cancer
after the use of a less extensive primary approach. Palliative surgery is
performed in an attempt to relieve complications of cancer, such as ulceration,
obstruction, hemorrhage, pain, and malignant effusion. Reconstructive surgery
may follow curative or radical surgery in an attempt to improve function or
obtain a more desirable cosmetic effect.
6. The nurse is caring for a patient who is to begin receiving external radiation for
a malignant tumor of the neck. While providing patient education, what
potential adverse effects should the nurse discuss with the patient?
A) Impaired nutritional status
B) Cognitive changes
C) Diarrhea
D) Alopecia
ANS: A
Alterations in oral mucosa, change and loss of taste, pain, and dysphasia often
occur as a result of radiotherapy to the head and neck. The patient is at an
increased risk of impaired nutritional status. Radiotherapy does not cause
