1. What are some of the key ways that you can think of to reduce your cancer risk?
2. While she is being prepared for a biopsy of a
... [Show More] lump in her right breast, the patient asks the nurse what the difference is between a benign tumour and a malignant tumour. Which of the following explanations about benign tumours best describes the differ- ence from malignant tumours?
a.Benign tumours frequently recur in the same site.
b.Benign tumours do not cause damage to adjacent tissue.
c.Benign tumours do not spread to other tissues and organs.
d.Benign tumours are simply an over- growth of normal cells.
3. 2. A patient has been told by his physi- cian that the tumour in his bowel is poorly differentiated. He asks the nurse what is meant by "poorly differentiated." On what knowledge should the nurse base the re- sponse to the patient's question?
a. Cancer cells develop a new gene, called
1) **Don't smoke**
2) Limit alcohol
3) Reduce exposure to carcino- gens- smoking, sun exposure, hazardous chemicals,
4) Eat balanced diet
5) Exercise (30 minutes- 5 times/ week)
6) Maintain healthy weight
7) Follow cancer screening guidelines
8) Know the early warning signs of cancer
ANS: C
The major difference between malignant and benign tumours is that benign tumours nev-
er metastasize, whereas malig- nant tumours invade adjacent tissues and spread to distant tissues.
ANS: C
An undifferentiated cell has an appearance more like that of a stem cell or a fetal cell and
less like that of a normal cell of the organ or tissue. The DNA in cancer cells is always different from that of normal cells.
an oncogene, which promotes continu- ous, immature reproduction of cells. b.Poorly differentiated cells are fetal cells that do not have time to mature as a result of the rapid division of malignant cells. c.Normal cells revert to a more fetal ap- pearance and function, probably because of mutation of cellular genes called pro- to-oncogenes.
d.Normal mature cells with specific func- tions become immature, nonfunctioning cells when chemical agents, such as oncogenes, cause cell mutation.
4. 3. A patient tells the nurse that he read that asbestos is a carcinogen and asks whether that means it causes cancer. Which of the following explains what a carcinogen is?
a.Any agent or condition that can promote the proliferation of altered, mutated cells b.Any chemical, physical, or genetic agent that can irreversibly alter cellular DNA, causing abnormal cells to be produced c.Any agent or condition that causes chronic irritation and stimulation of tis- sue, resulting in uncontrolled overgrowth of tissue
d.A specific, known chemical or physical agent that can start uncontrolled cellular proliferation by fracturing cellular DNA
5. 4. When teaching a patient who smokes about the relationship of smoking to the development of cancer, how should the nurse explain tobacco smoke as a "com- plete" carcinogen?
ANS: B
Carcinogens are cancer-caus- ing agents capable of produc- ing cellular alterations and may be chemical, radioactive, or vi- ral in nature.
ANS: B
Some carcinogens (called complete carcinogens) are ca- pable of both initiating and pro- moting the development of can- cer. Tobacco is an example of a
a. Exposure to the smoke always causes cellular changes.
b.Tobacco smoke is capable of both initi- ating and promoting cancer growth. c.Cancer will always develop when people who smoke are exposed to other carcino- gens.
d.Tobacco smoke serves as a vehicle for the spread of cancer cells during the pro- gression stage of cancer.
6. 5. In teaching about cancer prevention, why does the nurse stress promotion of exercise, normal body weight, and a low-fat diet?
a.General aerobic health is an important defence against cellular mutation. b.Obesity is a factor that promotes cancer growth; if it is reversed, the risk of cancer can be decreased.
c.People who are overweight usually con- sume large amounts of fat, which is a chemical carcinogen.
d.The development of fatty tumours, such as lipomas, is increased when fatty tissue is abundant.
7. 6. During a routine health examination, the patient tells the nurse that she has a family history of colon cancer. What should the nurse advise the patient to do?
a.Schedule a sigmoidoscopy every year after the age of 40.
b.Schedule a digital rectal examination every 6 months after the age of 45. c.Have a sigmoidoscopy for baseline at the age of 50 and every 5 years afterward.
complete carcinogen, capable of initiating and promoting can- cer.
ANS: B
Promoting factors include di- etary fat, obesity, cigarette smoking, and alcohol con- sumption. The withdrawal of or reduction in these factors can reduce the risk of cancer devel- opment.
ANS: D
If the patient has a higher known risk (a first-degree rel- ative with colorectal cancer or a history of inflammatory bowel disease or benign polyps), then screening should be individual- ized and started before the age of 50.
d.Discuss specific testing with her doctor because her risk for colon cancer is in- creased.
8. A 58-year-old woman has breast cancer that has metastasized to the liver. On which fact about metastatic cells does the nurse understand that the treatment plan for the patient is based?
a.They become more unlike the cells of the primary site as mutations occur in the tumour cells at both sites.
b.They are identical to the cells in the breast, having passively been spread through blood and lymph vessels.
c.They do not proliferate as rapidly as the malignant cells in the primary site and are therefore less sensitive to treatment. d.They retain the characteristics of the malignant cells in the breast and have the same response to treatment as the prima- ry tumour does. [Show Less]