NORCET 9 Mains - 2025
Medical & Surgical Nursing
Hard

Acetoacetic Acid method is commonly used in rural areas to screening the which of the following cancer?

Appeared in: NORCET 9 Mains - 2025

Explanation

  • The question refers to Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), a key screening method for cervical cancer, although it misspells 'Acetic Acid' as 'Acetoacetic Acid'.
  • In VIA, a 3-5% acetic acid solution is applied to the cervix. Precancerous and cancerous tissues, which have a higher protein content, turn white (acetowhite), allowing for immediate visual detection.
  • This method is simple, low-cost, and provides immediate results, making it ideal for rural or low-resource settings where access to laboratories for Pap smears or HPV testing is limited.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: Acetic acid is not used for breast cancer screening.
  • Option C: There is no screening method for ovarian cancer that uses acetic acid.
  • Option D: Acetic acid is not used for oral cancer screening.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
  • Visual 1: Image: A diagram showing the appearance of a normal cervix versus a cervix with acetowhite changes after applying acetic acid during a VIA test.
  • Visual 2: Infographic: A flowchart illustrating the 'screen-and-treat' approach using VIA in a rural health camp setting.
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Cancer screening methods in low-resource settings as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Nurses in community health settings are often responsible for conducting or assisting with VIA screening programs, making this a vital skill for the early detection of cervical cancer.
  • Understanding the advantages of VIA (low cost, immediate results) helps nurses advocate for its implementation in resource-limited areas to reduce cervical cancer mortality.
  • What if the setting was a well-equipped urban hospital? In that case, HPV DNA testing or Pap smears would be the preferred primary screening methods due to their higher sensitivity, although VIA might still be used as a follow-up or adjunct test.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the core of the question: a screening method used in 'rural areas'. This keyword points towards a low-cost, simple test that doesn't require extensive lab facilities.
  • Recognize that 'Acetoacetic Acid' is a likely misspelling of 'Acetic Acid', a substance commonly known as vinegar.
  • Connect 'Acetic Acid' to a known medical screening test. Recall or deduce that its application to tissue is a form of visual inspection.
  • Evaluate the options. Cervical cancer screening with Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) is a well-established method fitting this description.
  • Eliminate other options by recalling their standard screening methods: Mammography for breast cancer, no routine screening for ovarian cancer, and direct visual inspection for oral cancer.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Cancer screening methods in low-resource settings
  • Stem keywords: Acetoacetic Acid method, rural areas, screening, cancer
  • Lead-in keywords: which of the following
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QPbTlTKb9waOIJbdkMgF0m

Practise the full NORCET 9 Mains - 2025

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.

More Oncology: Nursing Management in Cancer Care Questions

More NORCET 9 Mains - 2025 Questions