NR509 Final Exam Practice Questions
and Answers
A 44-year-old female mathematician presents to the clinic with a complaint of a mass in
the right breast. Her partner noticed this mass 2 days ago, and the patient feels guilty
because she has only had one mammogram and does not engage in breast self-
examination (BSE) on any regular basis. She has no family history of breast cancer,
and her prior mammogram was ordered as a routine screening test at age 43. years
after a brief discussion with her primary care provider. After a thorough investigation
reveals a benign cyst, what advice should be given to this patient about screening for
breast cancer in her age group?
- This patient was in compliance with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
(USPSTF) recommendations for her age group and risk factors prior to her current
complaint.
A 42-year-old female website developer presents for an annual preventive examination
with questions about breast cancer screening. She is concerned about the radiation
exposure associated with mammography and is interested in magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) as a possible alternative for routine screening. She is otherwise healthy
with no family history of breast, ovarian, or colon cancer. Which of the following is true
about MRI as a screening modality for breast cancer in the general population.
- Sensitivity of screening for breast cancer increases with breast MRI at the expensive
of specificity.
A 35-year-old G0P0 woman presents to the clinic with a complaint of bilateral nipple
discharge. This discharge started several weeks ago and has occurred at irregular
intervals since that time. She does not complain of local tenderness, redness, fever, or
any other systemic symptoms aside from slightly irregular periods over the last few
months. On examination, she is able to express a small amount of discharge, which is
sent to the lab and found to be consistent with breast milk but without any signs of blood
or pus. Screening laboratories are also sent, which reveal a normal blood count,
metabolic panel, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and human chorionic gonadotropin
(HCG) level. Further laboratories are still pending. Which of the following is the most
likely diagnosis?
- Prolactinoma
A 22-year-old G0P0 undergraduate student presents to the clinic after finding a breast
mass on breast self-examination (BSE) at home. The mass is contender without skin
changes, erythema, or overlying swelling. She has heard that most breast cancers are
found by patients themselves, and she is very concerned that she may have breast
cancer. Which of the following is true about BSE and self-detection of breast cancer?
- This patient is more likely to find a fibroadenoma than a cancer on self-examination.
A 48-year-old female psychologist presents to clinic with concerns about her breast
cancer risk after an age-matched cousin was recently diagnosed with this disease. This
cousin is the third family member on her father's side in as many years to be diagnosed
with breast cancer, including the patient's own father, who had surgery and subsequent
