SCI 225 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY MIDTERM
EXAM300 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES| LATEST
UPDATE
1. A nurse is describing the process of metastasis. Which is necessary for
metastasis to occur?
A) Increased cellular adhesion
B) Decreased cellular motility
C) Temporary cessation of cell division
D) Decreased cell adhesion
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: For metastasis to occur, tumor cells must be capable of decreased
adhesion, allowing them to detach from the primary tumor and spread to distant
sites. This decrease in cellular adhesion is a critical step that enables cancer cells to
invade surrounding tissues and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
2. The nurse is caring for a patient with a genetic disease transmitted through
autosomal recessive inheritance. Which diagnosis is most likely?
A) Huntington disease
B) Cystic fibrosis
C) Marfan syndrome
D) Neurofibromatosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cystic fibrosis is transmitted through autosomal recessive inheritance,
requiring two copies of the abnormal gene (one from each parent) for the disease to
1
,manifest. Huntington disease, Marfan syndrome, and neurofibromatosis are
transmitted through autosomal dominant inheritance.
3. The nurse in the genetics clinic is describing a genetic disease characterized by
an extra chromosome. Which disorder is most likely?
A) Cystic fibrosis
B) Down syndrome
C) Tay-Sachs disease
D) Sickle cell anemia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder characterized by an extra
copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). Cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, and
sickle cell anemia are single-gene disorders.
4. A patient has a genetic disorder characterized by a deletion on chromosome 5.
Which diagnosis is most likely?
A) Down syndrome
B) Turner syndrome
C) Cri-du-chat syndrome
D) Edwards syndrome
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Cri-du-chat syndrome is caused by a deletion on the short arm of
chromosome 5. Down syndrome is trisomy 21, Turner syndrome is monosomy X,
and Edwards syndrome is trisomy 18.
5. The nurse is teaching a patient about the process of cellular injury. Which
mechanism is a common cause of cellular injury?
A) Increased ATP production
2
,B) Free radical formation
C) Decreased calcium concentration
D) Increased cellular hydration
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Free radical formation is a common mechanism of cellular injury. Free
radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cellular structures including
membranes, proteins, and DNA. Decreased ATP production, increased calcium
concentration, and cellular dehydration are associated with injury, not the reverse.
6. A patient has tissue necrosis due to a bacterial infection. Which type of necrosis
is characterized by formation of a thick, yellow, cheesy material?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is characterized by the formation of a thick, yellow,
cheesy material. Coagulative necrosis results in firm tissue, liquefactive necrosis
produces a liquid mass, and fat necrosis results in chalky white areas.
7. The nurse is caring for a patient with hypoxia-induced cellular injury. Which
finding indicates irreversible cellular injury?
A) Cellular swelling
B) Fatty change
C) Nuclear fragmentation
D) Increased intracellular glycogen
Correct Answer: C
3
, Rationale: Nuclear fragmentation (karyorrhexis) is a sign of irreversible cellular
injury and cell death. Cellular swelling and fatty change are reversible changes,
and glycogen is consumed during hypoxia.
8. The nurse is assessing a patient with severe anemia. Which finding is most
consistent with anemia?
A) Increased oxygen delivery to tissues
B) Decreased hematocrit
C) Elevated erythrocyte count
D) Normal hemoglobin level
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Anemia is characterized by a decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin
concentration, resulting in reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
Increased oxygen delivery, elevated erythrocyte count, and normal hemoglobin are
not consistent with anemia.
9. The nurse is educating a patient with iron deficiency anemia. Which food should
the patient be encouraged to consume?
A) Milk and cheese
B) Citrus fruits
C) Red meat and green leafy vegetables
D) Refined grains
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Red meat and green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of heme and
non-heme iron, respectively. Milk and cheese are good sources of calcium, citrus
fruits contain vitamin C, and refined grains have reduced iron content.
10. A patient has vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. Which finding is most
characteristic?
4
EXAM300 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES| LATEST
UPDATE
1. A nurse is describing the process of metastasis. Which is necessary for
metastasis to occur?
A) Increased cellular adhesion
B) Decreased cellular motility
C) Temporary cessation of cell division
D) Decreased cell adhesion
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: For metastasis to occur, tumor cells must be capable of decreased
adhesion, allowing them to detach from the primary tumor and spread to distant
sites. This decrease in cellular adhesion is a critical step that enables cancer cells to
invade surrounding tissues and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
2. The nurse is caring for a patient with a genetic disease transmitted through
autosomal recessive inheritance. Which diagnosis is most likely?
A) Huntington disease
B) Cystic fibrosis
C) Marfan syndrome
D) Neurofibromatosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cystic fibrosis is transmitted through autosomal recessive inheritance,
requiring two copies of the abnormal gene (one from each parent) for the disease to
1
,manifest. Huntington disease, Marfan syndrome, and neurofibromatosis are
transmitted through autosomal dominant inheritance.
3. The nurse in the genetics clinic is describing a genetic disease characterized by
an extra chromosome. Which disorder is most likely?
A) Cystic fibrosis
B) Down syndrome
C) Tay-Sachs disease
D) Sickle cell anemia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder characterized by an extra
copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). Cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, and
sickle cell anemia are single-gene disorders.
4. A patient has a genetic disorder characterized by a deletion on chromosome 5.
Which diagnosis is most likely?
A) Down syndrome
B) Turner syndrome
C) Cri-du-chat syndrome
D) Edwards syndrome
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Cri-du-chat syndrome is caused by a deletion on the short arm of
chromosome 5. Down syndrome is trisomy 21, Turner syndrome is monosomy X,
and Edwards syndrome is trisomy 18.
5. The nurse is teaching a patient about the process of cellular injury. Which
mechanism is a common cause of cellular injury?
A) Increased ATP production
2
,B) Free radical formation
C) Decreased calcium concentration
D) Increased cellular hydration
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Free radical formation is a common mechanism of cellular injury. Free
radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cellular structures including
membranes, proteins, and DNA. Decreased ATP production, increased calcium
concentration, and cellular dehydration are associated with injury, not the reverse.
6. A patient has tissue necrosis due to a bacterial infection. Which type of necrosis
is characterized by formation of a thick, yellow, cheesy material?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is characterized by the formation of a thick, yellow,
cheesy material. Coagulative necrosis results in firm tissue, liquefactive necrosis
produces a liquid mass, and fat necrosis results in chalky white areas.
7. The nurse is caring for a patient with hypoxia-induced cellular injury. Which
finding indicates irreversible cellular injury?
A) Cellular swelling
B) Fatty change
C) Nuclear fragmentation
D) Increased intracellular glycogen
Correct Answer: C
3
, Rationale: Nuclear fragmentation (karyorrhexis) is a sign of irreversible cellular
injury and cell death. Cellular swelling and fatty change are reversible changes,
and glycogen is consumed during hypoxia.
8. The nurse is assessing a patient with severe anemia. Which finding is most
consistent with anemia?
A) Increased oxygen delivery to tissues
B) Decreased hematocrit
C) Elevated erythrocyte count
D) Normal hemoglobin level
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Anemia is characterized by a decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin
concentration, resulting in reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
Increased oxygen delivery, elevated erythrocyte count, and normal hemoglobin are
not consistent with anemia.
9. The nurse is educating a patient with iron deficiency anemia. Which food should
the patient be encouraged to consume?
A) Milk and cheese
B) Citrus fruits
C) Red meat and green leafy vegetables
D) Refined grains
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Red meat and green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of heme and
non-heme iron, respectively. Milk and cheese are good sources of calcium, citrus
fruits contain vitamin C, and refined grains have reduced iron content.
10. A patient has vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. Which finding is most
characteristic?
4
