Nokea
A 54-year-old has a diagnosis of breast cancer and is tearfully discussing her diagnosis with the nurse. The patient states, 'They tell me my cancer is malignant, while my coworker's breast tumor was benign. I just don't understand at all.' When preparing a response to this patient, the nurse should be cognizant of what characteristic that distinguishes malignant cells from benign cells of the same tissue type?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Malignant breast cancer cells flaunt tumor-specific antigens (e.g., CEA) on their membranes, unlike benign ones from the same tissue think of it as a wanted' sign for the immune system. Mitosis isn't slow it's fast in malignant cells. Size varies, not the defining split. Molecular structure shifts, but membrane proteins are the standout marker. Nurses use this to explain why her cancer's a threat those antigens tag it as invasive, a core oncology lesson for scared patients piecing it together.