1
NURS 265 ONCOLOGY EXAM 2026 – 300
PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS & RATIONALES (ONCOLOGY
NURSING)
## Table of Contents
| Section | Topic Area | Question Numbers |
|---------|------------|------------------|
| 1 | Cancer Pathophysiology & Prevention | 1–15 |
| 2 | Screening & Early Detection | 16–25 |
| 3 | Chemotherapy Principles & Nursing Management | 26–40 |
| 4 | Targeted Therapy & Immunotherapy | 41–50 |
| 5 | Radiation Therapy | 51–60 |
| 6 | Oncologic Emergencies | 61–75 |
| 7 | Symptom Management & Supportive Care | 76–90 |
| 8 | End-of-Life & Palliative Care | 91–100 |
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# SECTION 1: CANCER PATHOPHYSIOLOGY & PREVENTION
**Q1:** A nursing student asks about the difference between benign and
malignant tumors. Which statement is correct?
A. Benign tumors metastasize through blood vessels
B. Malignant tumors are well-differentiated
C. Benign tumors grow by expansion and do not invade surrounding
tissue
D. Malignant tumors are encapsulated
**Answer: C – Benign tumors grow by expansion and do not invade
surrounding tissue**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: C**
- Benign tumors: localized, slow-growing, well-differentiated, non-
invasive, do not metastasize.
- Malignant tumors: invasive, poorly differentiated, rapid growth,
metastasize via blood/lymph.
**Q2:** A patient asks what causes cancer. The nurse’s best response is:
A. “Cancer is always inherited from your parents.”
B. “Most cancers are caused by a single known agent.”
C. “Cancer results from genetic mutations that can be inherited or
acquired.”
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D. “Only lifestyle factors cause cancer.”
**Answer: C – Cancer results from genetic mutations that can be
inherited or acquired**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: C**
- Carcinogenesis involves mutations in proto-oncogenes, tumor
suppressor genes (e.g., p53, BRCA).
- Causes: genetic (inherited), environmental (chemicals, radiation), viral
(HPV, HBV), lifestyle (tobacco, diet).
**Q3:** Which term describes the process by which a normal cell
becomes cancerous?
A. Apoptosis
B. Carcinogenesis
C. Angiogenesis
D. Differentiation
**Answer: B – Carcinogenesis**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: B**
- Carcinogenesis = multistep process (initiation, promotion,
progression).
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- Apoptosis (A) = programmed cell death (decreased in cancer).
- Angiogenesis (C) = new blood vessel formation (required for tumor
growth).
**Q4:** A 55-year-old patient with a family history of breast cancer
asks about genetic testing. Which gene mutations are most associated
with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer?
A. APC and KRAS
B. BRCA1 and BRCA2
C. TP53 and HER2
D. EGFR and ALK
**Answer: B – BRCA1 and BRCA2**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: B**
- BRCA1/2 are tumor suppressor genes; mutations increase risk of breast
(up to 85%), ovarian, prostate, pancreatic cancers.
- APC (A) = colon cancer.
- HER2 (C) = breast cancer prognosis marker, not inherited mutation.
**Q5:** A nurse is teaching about cancer prevention. Which is an
example of primary prevention?
A. Mammography for breast cancer
NURS 265 ONCOLOGY EXAM 2026 – 300
PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS & RATIONALES (ONCOLOGY
NURSING)
## Table of Contents
| Section | Topic Area | Question Numbers |
|---------|------------|------------------|
| 1 | Cancer Pathophysiology & Prevention | 1–15 |
| 2 | Screening & Early Detection | 16–25 |
| 3 | Chemotherapy Principles & Nursing Management | 26–40 |
| 4 | Targeted Therapy & Immunotherapy | 41–50 |
| 5 | Radiation Therapy | 51–60 |
| 6 | Oncologic Emergencies | 61–75 |
| 7 | Symptom Management & Supportive Care | 76–90 |
| 8 | End-of-Life & Palliative Care | 91–100 |
,2
# SECTION 1: CANCER PATHOPHYSIOLOGY & PREVENTION
**Q1:** A nursing student asks about the difference between benign and
malignant tumors. Which statement is correct?
A. Benign tumors metastasize through blood vessels
B. Malignant tumors are well-differentiated
C. Benign tumors grow by expansion and do not invade surrounding
tissue
D. Malignant tumors are encapsulated
**Answer: C – Benign tumors grow by expansion and do not invade
surrounding tissue**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: C**
- Benign tumors: localized, slow-growing, well-differentiated, non-
invasive, do not metastasize.
- Malignant tumors: invasive, poorly differentiated, rapid growth,
metastasize via blood/lymph.
**Q2:** A patient asks what causes cancer. The nurse’s best response is:
A. “Cancer is always inherited from your parents.”
B. “Most cancers are caused by a single known agent.”
C. “Cancer results from genetic mutations that can be inherited or
acquired.”
,3
D. “Only lifestyle factors cause cancer.”
**Answer: C – Cancer results from genetic mutations that can be
inherited or acquired**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: C**
- Carcinogenesis involves mutations in proto-oncogenes, tumor
suppressor genes (e.g., p53, BRCA).
- Causes: genetic (inherited), environmental (chemicals, radiation), viral
(HPV, HBV), lifestyle (tobacco, diet).
**Q3:** Which term describes the process by which a normal cell
becomes cancerous?
A. Apoptosis
B. Carcinogenesis
C. Angiogenesis
D. Differentiation
**Answer: B – Carcinogenesis**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: B**
- Carcinogenesis = multistep process (initiation, promotion,
progression).
, 4
- Apoptosis (A) = programmed cell death (decreased in cancer).
- Angiogenesis (C) = new blood vessel formation (required for tumor
growth).
**Q4:** A 55-year-old patient with a family history of breast cancer
asks about genetic testing. Which gene mutations are most associated
with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer?
A. APC and KRAS
B. BRCA1 and BRCA2
C. TP53 and HER2
D. EGFR and ALK
**Answer: B – BRCA1 and BRCA2**
**Rationale:**
**Correct answer: B**
- BRCA1/2 are tumor suppressor genes; mutations increase risk of breast
(up to 85%), ovarian, prostate, pancreatic cancers.
- APC (A) = colon cancer.
- HER2 (C) = breast cancer prognosis marker, not inherited mutation.
**Q5:** A nurse is teaching about cancer prevention. Which is an
example of primary prevention?
A. Mammography for breast cancer
