Oncology NCLEX Practice Questions
with Answers
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 -
Ans -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."
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,b. "Client doesn't guess at prognosis."
c. "Client uses any effective method to reduce tension."
d. "Client stops seeking information." - Ans -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 - Ans -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.
2
Psychomotor seizures suggest temporal lobe dysfunction.
Page
, 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. - Ans -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. - Ans -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 lumps early. Mammography is used to detect tumors that are
too small to palpate. Chest X-rays can be used to pinpoint rib metastasis.
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with Answers
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 -
Ans -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."
1
Page
,b. "Client doesn't guess at prognosis."
c. "Client uses any effective method to reduce tension."
d. "Client stops seeking information." - Ans -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 - Ans -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.
2
Psychomotor seizures suggest temporal lobe dysfunction.
Page
, 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. - Ans -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. - Ans -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 lumps early. Mammography is used to detect tumors that are
too small to palpate. Chest X-rays can be used to pinpoint rib metastasis.
3
Page
