Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Certified Tumor Registrar Exam. Access multiple choice questions and flashcards, with hints and detailed explanations. Ace the test with confidence!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

In the AJCC staging system, what does the "N" represent?

Primary tumor size
Distant metastasis
Regional lymph node involvement
Stage of cancer

The correct answer is: Regional lymph node involvement

In the AJCC staging system, the "N" specifically represents regional lymph node involvement. This is an essential aspect of cancer staging as it indicates whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, which can be a critical factor in determining the appropriate treatment and prognosis for the patient. The assessment of lymph node involvement helps oncologists understand the extent of the disease. For many cancers, the presence of cancer in regional lymph nodes indicates a more advanced stage and can significantly impact the treatment approach and the expected outcomes. In contrast, the other options address different components of the staging system. The primary tumor size pertains to the "T" classification, distant metastasis is classified under "M," and the overall stage of cancer encompasses a combination of T, N, and M classifications rather than being represented by a single letter. Understanding these distinctions is vital for accurate cancer staging and management.