Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) Practice Exam

Lung cancer is indeed a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality globally, but when considering incidence rates—which reflect the number of new cases diagnosed—the most common cancer for both men and women is not accurately represented by this answer. Breast cancer holds the distinction of being the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women, while prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed among men. When combining both genders, breast cancer takes precedence in terms of new cases diagnosed. Lung cancer ranks highly in both genders, particularly in terms of mortality, but when comparing incidence, the prevalence of breast cancer among women and prostate cancer among men makes the choice of lung cancer as the answer less fitting. Colorectal cancer, while also common, does not surpass breast and prostate cancers in overall incidence. Thus, when looking for the most frequently diagnosed cancer that affects both men and women, breast cancer emerges as the correct answer due to its higher incidence rates across the general population, combined with its significant impact on women specifically.