NCLEX Practice Questions:
Cancer Treatment & Oncology
Nursing, Exams of Nursing
Assured A+ Certified Pass
1. A male client has an abnormal result on a Papanicolaou test. After admitting, he
read his chart while the nurse was out of the room, the client asks what dysplasia
means. Which definition should the nurse provide?
a. Presence of completely undifferentiated tumor cells that don't resemble cells of
the tissues of their origin
b. Increase in the number of normal cells in a normal arrangement in a tissue or
an organ
c. Replacement of one type of fully differentiated cell by another in tissues where
the second type normally isn't found
d. Alteration in the size, shape, and organization of differentiated cells -
ANSWERS-1.Answer D. Dysplasia refers to an alteration in the size, shape, and
organization of differentiated cells. The presence of completely undifferentiated
tumor cells that don't resemble cells of the tissues of their origin is called
anaplasia. An increase in the number of normal cells in a normal arrangement in a
tissue or an organ is called hyperplasia. Replacement of one type of fully
differentiated cell by another in tissues where the second type normally isn't
found is called metaplasia.
,2. For a female client with newly diagnosed cancer, the nurse formulates a nursing
diagnosis of Anxiety related to the threat of death secondary to cancer diagnosis.
Which expected outcome would be appropriate for this client?
a. "Client verbalizes feelings of anxiety."
b. "Client doesn't guess at prognosis."
c. "Client uses any effective method to reduce tension."
d. "Client stops seeking information." - ANSWERS-2.Answer A. Verbalizing
feelings is the client's first step in coping with the situational crisis. It also helps
the health care team gain insight into the client's feelings, helping guide
psychosocial care. Option B is inappropriate because suppressing speculation may
prevent the client from coming to terms with the crisis and planning accordingly.
Option C is undesirable because some methods of reducing tension, such as illicit
drug or alcohol use, may prevent the client from coming to terms with the threat
of death as well as cause physiologic harm. Option D isn't appropriate because
seeking information can help a client with cancer gain a sense of control over the
crisis.
3. A male client with a cerebellar brain tumor is admitted to an acute care facility.
The nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis of Risk for injury. Which "related-to"
phrase should the nurse add to complete the nursing diagnosis statement?
a. Related to visual field deficits
b. Related to difficulty swallowing
c. Related to impaired balance
d. Related to psychomotor seizures - ANSWERS-3.Answer C. A client with a
cerebellar brain tumor may suffer injury from impaired balance as well as
, disturbed gait and incoordination. Visual field deficits, difficulty swallowing, and
psychomotor seizures may result from dysfunction of the pituitary gland, pons,
occipital lobe, parietal lobe, or temporal lobe — not from a cerebellar brain
tumor. Difficulty swallowing suggests medullary dysfunction. Psychomotor
seizures suggest temporal lobe dysfunction.
4. A female client with cancer is scheduled for radiation therapy. The nurse knows
that radiation at any treatment site may cause a certain adverse effect. Therefore,
the nurse should prepare the client to expect:
a. hair loss.
b. stomatitis.
c. fatigue.
d. vomiting. - ANSWERS-4.Answer C. Radiation therapy may cause fatigue, skin
toxicities, and anorexia regardless of the treatment site. Hair loss, stomatitis, and
vomiting are site-specific, not generalized, adverse effects of radiation therapy.
5. Nurse April is teaching a client who suspects that she has a lump in her breast.
The nurse instructs the client that a diagnosis of breast cancer is confirmed by:
a. breast self-examination.
b. mammography.
c. fine needle aspiration.
d. chest X-ray. - ANSWERS-5.Answer C. Fine needle aspiration and biopsy provide
cells for histologic examination to confirm a diagnosis of cancer. A breast self-
examination, if done regularly, is the most reliable method for detecting breast
Cancer Treatment & Oncology
Nursing, Exams of Nursing
Assured A+ Certified Pass
1. A male client has an abnormal result on a Papanicolaou test. After admitting, he
read his chart while the nurse was out of the room, the client asks what dysplasia
means. Which definition should the nurse provide?
a. Presence of completely undifferentiated tumor cells that don't resemble cells of
the tissues of their origin
b. Increase in the number of normal cells in a normal arrangement in a tissue or
an organ
c. Replacement of one type of fully differentiated cell by another in tissues where
the second type normally isn't found
d. Alteration in the size, shape, and organization of differentiated cells -
ANSWERS-1.Answer D. Dysplasia refers to an alteration in the size, shape, and
organization of differentiated cells. The presence of completely undifferentiated
tumor cells that don't resemble cells of the tissues of their origin is called
anaplasia. An increase in the number of normal cells in a normal arrangement in a
tissue or an organ is called hyperplasia. Replacement of one type of fully
differentiated cell by another in tissues where the second type normally isn't
found is called metaplasia.
,2. For a female client with newly diagnosed cancer, the nurse formulates a nursing
diagnosis of Anxiety related to the threat of death secondary to cancer diagnosis.
Which expected outcome would be appropriate for this client?
a. "Client verbalizes feelings of anxiety."
b. "Client doesn't guess at prognosis."
c. "Client uses any effective method to reduce tension."
d. "Client stops seeking information." - ANSWERS-2.Answer A. Verbalizing
feelings is the client's first step in coping with the situational crisis. It also helps
the health care team gain insight into the client's feelings, helping guide
psychosocial care. Option B is inappropriate because suppressing speculation may
prevent the client from coming to terms with the crisis and planning accordingly.
Option C is undesirable because some methods of reducing tension, such as illicit
drug or alcohol use, may prevent the client from coming to terms with the threat
of death as well as cause physiologic harm. Option D isn't appropriate because
seeking information can help a client with cancer gain a sense of control over the
crisis.
3. A male client with a cerebellar brain tumor is admitted to an acute care facility.
The nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis of Risk for injury. Which "related-to"
phrase should the nurse add to complete the nursing diagnosis statement?
a. Related to visual field deficits
b. Related to difficulty swallowing
c. Related to impaired balance
d. Related to psychomotor seizures - ANSWERS-3.Answer C. A client with a
cerebellar brain tumor may suffer injury from impaired balance as well as
, disturbed gait and incoordination. Visual field deficits, difficulty swallowing, and
psychomotor seizures may result from dysfunction of the pituitary gland, pons,
occipital lobe, parietal lobe, or temporal lobe — not from a cerebellar brain
tumor. Difficulty swallowing suggests medullary dysfunction. Psychomotor
seizures suggest temporal lobe dysfunction.
4. A female client with cancer is scheduled for radiation therapy. The nurse knows
that radiation at any treatment site may cause a certain adverse effect. Therefore,
the nurse should prepare the client to expect:
a. hair loss.
b. stomatitis.
c. fatigue.
d. vomiting. - ANSWERS-4.Answer C. Radiation therapy may cause fatigue, skin
toxicities, and anorexia regardless of the treatment site. Hair loss, stomatitis, and
vomiting are site-specific, not generalized, adverse effects of radiation therapy.
5. Nurse April is teaching a client who suspects that she has a lump in her breast.
The nurse instructs the client that a diagnosis of breast cancer is confirmed by:
a. breast self-examination.
b. mammography.
c. fine needle aspiration.
d. chest X-ray. - ANSWERS-5.Answer C. Fine needle aspiration and biopsy provide
cells for histologic examination to confirm a diagnosis of cancer. A breast self-
examination, if done regularly, is the most reliable method for detecting breast
