NUR 308 EXAM 3 | PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | COMPREHENSIVE NURSING STUDY
GUIDE 2026/2027
components of integumentary system - ANS ✔✔skin, hair, nails, glands
comprises the protective coating that guards the body from injury
largest and most visible organ
functions of integumentary system - ANS ✔✔protect underlying body tissues from external
environment
provides a barrier against bacterial and viral invasion
sensory perception-pain, hot, cold, pressure
heat regulation by responding to changes in internal and external temperature
skin cancers - ANS ✔✔most commonly diagnosed cancers
-early detection and treatment can lead to good prognosis
teach to self examine
-asymmetry
-border
-color
-diameter (<6mm)
-evolving
skin cancer epidemiology - ANS ✔✔two groups: melanoma, nonmelanoma
,uv damage to dna increases with extended time in the sun and is a major contributing factor to
the development of skin cancers
Non-melanoma skin cancer - ANS ✔✔basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma
basal cell carcinomas are the most common form (75%)
Melanoma - ANS ✔✔men are diagnosed at a higher rate
most common cancer in women 25-29
melanoma account for <2% of all cancers but vast majority of skin cancer deaths
Skin Cancer Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔uv radiation from sunlight is composed of uva and uvb
uva rays penetrate deeper into skin, damage disrupts cellular membranes
uvb rays do not penetrate deeply into skin, cause sunburns and direct damage to dna
uv radiation is absorbed by dna of epidermal cells and mediates immune supression
actinic keratosis - ANS ✔✔a precancerous skin growth that occurs on sun-damaged skin,
papules and plaques (2cm)
most common form of precancerous lesions
treatment Cyrosurgery, 5 FU topical chemo, surgical removal
,can turn into squamous cell carcinoma
basal cell carcinoma - ANS ✔✔Most common and least severe type of skin cancer
occurs in middle/older age
usually not metastatic but can become locally invasive
reoccurance rate of 44% in 3years
Treatment
surgical excision
cryosurgery
radiation
topical chemo
squamous cell carcinoma - ANS ✔✔malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells
cause signficant damage to adjacent tissue
highly aggressive and metastazie within months
treatment
biopsy
surgical excision
cryotherapy
, radiation/chemo
malignant melanoma - ANS ✔✔Most serious form of skin cancer; often characterized by black
or dark brown patches on the skin that may appear uneven in texture, jagged, or raised.
environmental and genetic links
treatment
excisional biospy only
may require chemo/interferon or radiation
malignant melanoma clinical manifestations - ANS ✔✔appearance can follow the ABCDE rule
stages depend on thickness and depth
report increase in size, change in shape/color
body distribution: anywhere
common on legs and backs of women and trunk, head, neck in men
Maliginant Melanoma statistics - ANS ✔✔once in other organs, palliative care only
-incurable, 7.5 survival after diagnosis
5 year survival rate of 91%, 10 year survival rate 89%
GUIDE 2026/2027
components of integumentary system - ANS ✔✔skin, hair, nails, glands
comprises the protective coating that guards the body from injury
largest and most visible organ
functions of integumentary system - ANS ✔✔protect underlying body tissues from external
environment
provides a barrier against bacterial and viral invasion
sensory perception-pain, hot, cold, pressure
heat regulation by responding to changes in internal and external temperature
skin cancers - ANS ✔✔most commonly diagnosed cancers
-early detection and treatment can lead to good prognosis
teach to self examine
-asymmetry
-border
-color
-diameter (<6mm)
-evolving
skin cancer epidemiology - ANS ✔✔two groups: melanoma, nonmelanoma
,uv damage to dna increases with extended time in the sun and is a major contributing factor to
the development of skin cancers
Non-melanoma skin cancer - ANS ✔✔basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma
basal cell carcinomas are the most common form (75%)
Melanoma - ANS ✔✔men are diagnosed at a higher rate
most common cancer in women 25-29
melanoma account for <2% of all cancers but vast majority of skin cancer deaths
Skin Cancer Pathophysiology - ANS ✔✔uv radiation from sunlight is composed of uva and uvb
uva rays penetrate deeper into skin, damage disrupts cellular membranes
uvb rays do not penetrate deeply into skin, cause sunburns and direct damage to dna
uv radiation is absorbed by dna of epidermal cells and mediates immune supression
actinic keratosis - ANS ✔✔a precancerous skin growth that occurs on sun-damaged skin,
papules and plaques (2cm)
most common form of precancerous lesions
treatment Cyrosurgery, 5 FU topical chemo, surgical removal
,can turn into squamous cell carcinoma
basal cell carcinoma - ANS ✔✔Most common and least severe type of skin cancer
occurs in middle/older age
usually not metastatic but can become locally invasive
reoccurance rate of 44% in 3years
Treatment
surgical excision
cryosurgery
radiation
topical chemo
squamous cell carcinoma - ANS ✔✔malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells
cause signficant damage to adjacent tissue
highly aggressive and metastazie within months
treatment
biopsy
surgical excision
cryotherapy
, radiation/chemo
malignant melanoma - ANS ✔✔Most serious form of skin cancer; often characterized by black
or dark brown patches on the skin that may appear uneven in texture, jagged, or raised.
environmental and genetic links
treatment
excisional biospy only
may require chemo/interferon or radiation
malignant melanoma clinical manifestations - ANS ✔✔appearance can follow the ABCDE rule
stages depend on thickness and depth
report increase in size, change in shape/color
body distribution: anywhere
common on legs and backs of women and trunk, head, neck in men
Maliginant Melanoma statistics - ANS ✔✔once in other organs, palliative care only
-incurable, 7.5 survival after diagnosis
5 year survival rate of 91%, 10 year survival rate 89%
