Chart — Oncology
Common Adult Cancers Comparison
The four highest-yield adult solid tumors — breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate— lined up by risk, screening, hallmark presentation, where they spread, and the nursing focus for each.
Educational use only. Diagnosis, staging, and treatment are provider-directed and individualized. This chart is an educational comparison aid. This material supports nursing education and exam review. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional policy, or medical direction. Always follow facility protocols and current provider orders.
Side by Side
| Cancer | Key risk factors | Screening | Hallmark | Mets | Nursing focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breast | Female, age, BRCA1/2, family history, estrogen exposure | Mammography (± MRI for high risk) | Hard, fixed, painless mass; skin dimpling, nipple retraction, peau d'orange | Bone, lung, liver, brain | Affected-arm/lymphedema precautions; body image; receptor-directed therapy |
| Lung | Smoking (dominant), radon, asbestos | Low-dose CT (high-risk smokers) | Often silent early; cough, hemoptysis, dyspnea, weight loss | Brain, bone, liver, adrenal | Airway/dyspnea; watch SVC syndrome + paraneoplastic (SIADH); smoking cessation |
| Colorectal | Age ≥45, family history/FAP/Lynch, IBD, low-fiber/high-red-meat diet | Colonoscopy (gold standard) or FIT | Change in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia | Liver (most common) | Screening teaching; ostomy care; trend CEA; monitor anemia |
| Prostate | Age, family history/BRCA, African American | PSA ± DRE (shared decision) | Often asymptomatic; later urinary symptoms; hard nodule on DRE | Bone | Continence (Kegels) & ED support; ADT effects; watch cord compression |
Exam Traps
- ✦Breast: malignant mass = hard, fixed, painless; protect the affected arm after axillary surgery (no BP/IVs/venipuncture).
- ✦Lung: often silent early, smoking-driven; watch SVC syndrome and paraneoplastic SIADH; low-dose CT screening.
- ✦Colorectal: colonoscopy screens AND prevents (removes polyps); right-sided = anemia, left-sided = bowel-habit change/bleeding.
- ✦Prostate: usually slow-growing, spreads to bone; PSA screening is a shared decision; DRE nodule = hard/irregular.
- ✦Prostate and breast can spread to bone — new bone pain warrants evaluation (and cord-compression vigilance).
Related Resources
Standards & sources
Fact-checked Jun 21, 2026This page is written to align with Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) · National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) · American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). It is an educational summary, not a citation of any single document — always verify specific doses, values, and protocols against current guidelines and your facility policy. How we source content →