Final answer:
Cancer registries are intended to collect data on cancer patients to improve cancer control and aid research. Their functions include patient follow-up, quality assessment of care, and research, but not registering benign conditions like fibroadenomas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The function of cancer registries is to collect, manage, and analyze data on individuals with cancer to improve cancer control and prevention strategies. These registries have several key functions including:
- Providing cancer patient follow-up to ensure updated information on their treatment and survival status.
- Conducting quality assessment of care of cancer patients to ensure adherence to treatment guidelines and to facilitate improvements in cancer care.
- Enabling research on cancer patients which may involve epidemiological studies, monitoring trends, and evaluating the effectiveness of intervention strategies.
However, registering patients with a fibroadenoma - which is a benign (non-cancerous) breast tumor - is not a function of cancer registries, as these registries focus specifically on malignant (cancerous) conditions. Hence, the correct answer to the student's question is C. Registering patients with a fibroadenoma.