A Patient Being Evaluated for Abdominal Pain of Unknown Origin

Multiple Choice

A patient being evaluated for abdominal pain of unknown origin has a blood test for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) .The result is 5 ng/mL.Which question should the nurse ask in order to assess the significance of this result?

A) "Did you eat or drink anything after midnight?"
B) "Do you smoke cigarettes?"
C) "How often do you exercise?"
D) "Has your doctor told you that you may have cancer?"