Practice Question
A nurse caring for a patient with progressive cancer notes that the patient has experienced significant loss of skeletal muscle and fat. Which of the following does the nurse document?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Cachexia
Rationale:
🥄Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial metabolic syndrome characterized by involuntary loss of skeletal muscle (± fat), anorexia, and systemic inflammation.
🥄Tumor-derived factors (e.g., PIF, cytokines TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6) drive proteolysis and lipolysis, increase resting energy expenditure, and blunt anabolic signaling, causing refractory weight loss.
🥄Unlike simple starvation, cachexia features muscle wasting despite adequate intake, and is not fully reversible by conventional nutrition support.
🥄Consequences include impaired function, treatment intolerance, and worse survival, making early multimodal care (nutrition, exercise, anti-inflammatories, appetite stimulants) crucial.
🥄Structured assessment (e.g., weight trajectory, SMI on CT, grip strength) guides interventions and goals of care.
Want to practice more questions like this?
This question is from ☑️ NR412-EXAM4 which contains 50 questions.
More Questions from This Exam
What process helps cancer cells invade and spread to other parts of the body?
Answer Choices:
What initiates the process of angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels)?
Answer Choices:
A patient presents to the emergency room after being found on the ground at home. The nurse assesses the patient's pupil response and finds them to be fixed and dilated. The nurse knows this is caused by what mechanism?
Answer Choices:
A nurse is assessing a client with Parkinson's disease. Which of the following findings are characteristic extrapyramidal symptoms associated with this condition?
Answer Choices:
The nurse is assessing a patient with Multiple Sclerosis and notes the lower extremities of a patient have increased tone and resistance. How would the nurse document the finding?
Answer Choices:
Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: Examplify Exam(s)
- Domain: Pathophysiology
- Answer Choices: 4