Question

A nurse is preparing to reinforce the teaching plan for a patient who has recently been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the left lung. Which statement by the nurse is correct?

A. "You have a slow-growing cancer that rarely spreads."
B. "In terms of prognosis, you may have only a few months to live."
C. "Squamous cell cancer is a very rapidly growing cancer."
D. "The cancer has generally metastasized by the time diagnosis is made."

Answer 1

The nurse should inform the patient that they have a slow-growing cancer that rarely spreads.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement by the nurse is:

A. "You have a slow-growing cancer that rarely spreads."

Squamous cell carcinomas are the second most common type of skin cancer and primarily affect squamous cells in the epidermis. While they can metastasize if not treated, they are generally localized and unlikely to spread. Therefore, the nurse should inform the patient that they have a slow-growing cancer that rarely spreads.