Oncology Test Bank questions with answers
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 patients 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 - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔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.
,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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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 cognitive
changes. Diarrhea is not a likely concern for this patient.
Radiation only results in alopecia when targeted at the
whole brain; radiation of other parts of the body does not
lead to hair loss.
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 patients 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 - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔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.
,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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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 cognitive
changes. Diarrhea is not a likely concern for this patient.
Radiation only results in alopecia when targeted at the
whole brain; radiation of other parts of the body does not
lead to hair loss.
