Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyPreventive Care and Screening

A 49-year-old man visits a primary care provider for a general health examination. He has not sought medical care since his twenties. He reports feeling perfectly well and exercises regularly. He has never used tobacco products. His body mass index is 23 kg/m². He has no known family history of medical conditions. Vital signs and physical examination findings are within normal limits. Which of the following preventive screening tests are currently indicated for this patient? (Select all that apply)

  1. Screening for colorectal cancerAnswer
  2. One-time screening for hepatitis C virus infectionAnswer
  3. C
    Annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography
  4. D
    Routine screening for prostate cancer with a prostate-specific antigen test
  5. E
    One-time screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm with ultrasonography

Answer

The correctly indicated preventive screening interventions for this patient are screening for colorectal cancer and a one-time screening for hepatitis C virus infection.
Based on current preventive care guidelines, colorectal cancer screening is recommended for all average-risk adults beginning at age 45. Additionally, a one-time screening for hepatitis C virus infection is recommended for all adults aged 18 to 79 years. This patient falls within the age parameters for both universal screenings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess the patient's age and general risk profile.
The patient is a 49-year-old male with an average risk profile, no smoking history, and a normal body mass index.
Preventive screening guidelines are highly dependent on age, biological sex, and specific risk factors such as smoking.
2
Determine indicated screenings for a 49-year-old adult.
Colorectal cancer screening is indicated starting at age 45. Hepatitis C screening is indicated once for all adults aged 18 to 79.
These are universal recommendations for his age group under current guidelines.
3
Rule out screenings that require specific risk factors or older age.
Lung cancer screening and abdominal aortic aneurysm screening are ruled out due to age and lack of smoking history. Routine prostate cancer screening is not universally indicated at this age.
Avoiding unnecessary testing is a key principle of patient management to prevent false positives and unnecessary downstream procedures.

Key Concept

Age-appropriate and risk-based preventive screening guidelines for adults.
Rate this question

Topics

Preventive Care and Screening

More questions from this topic