ACSM-ACS-CES ACSM-ACS Cancer Exercise Specialist Course Practice Questions
Prepare for ACSM-ACS-CES with more than an answer.
- Level
- Specialty Certificate
- Valid for
- No expiration (educational certificate)
Domains covered on the exam 7
- Cancer Biology, Epidemiology, Classification, and Screening12%
- Cancer Treatments and Procedures15%
- Treatment Side Effects and Toxicities18%
- Evidence Base for Exercise in Cancer15%
- Client Screening, Assessment, and Risk Stratification18%
- Behavior Change and Motivation10%
- Practical Programming and Communication12%
- 1
You are evaluating a prostate cancer patient with confirmed osteoblastic bone metastases in the lumbar spine (L3-L5) and right proximal femur. He has been cleared for exercise by his oncologist. Which of the following exercise prescriptions demonstrates the safest approach for this specific client?
Show answer details
Correct answer: B
Bone metastases severely compromise the structural integrity of the affected bones, creating a high risk for pathological fractures. For a client with lesions in the lumbar spine and proximal femur, exercise must avoid excessive torque, shear forces, loaded spinal flexion/extension, twisting, and high-impact loading. Isometric core stabilization (planks) maintains core strength without spinal movement. Open-chain knee extensions build quad strength without putting axial load on the compromised proximal femur.
flowchart TD BM[Bone Metastases Identified] --> Loc[Identify Location] Loc --> Spine[Spine/Trunk] Loc --> Limbs[Limbs/Femur] Spine --> AvoidSpine[Avoid: Loaded flexion, extension, twisting] Limbs --> AvoidLimbs[Avoid: High impact, heavy axial loading, torsion] AvoidSpine --> Safe[Safe: Isometrics, aquatic therapy, supported cycling] AvoidLimbs --> Safe - 2
According to the ACSM's Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors (Campbell et al., 2019), what is the general evidence-based recommendation for aerobic and resistance training for cancer survivors?
Show answer details
Correct answer: B
The 2019 ACSM International Multidisciplinary Roundtable concluded that exercise is generally safe for cancer survivors and recommended that they follow the general public health guidelines: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week (or 75 minutes of vigorous), combined with 2 to 3 days of resistance training per week. These guidelines should be tailored to the individual's specific side effects and current treatment status.
- 3
True or False: A tumor graded as "benign" lacks the ability to metastasize to distant tissues, whereas a "malignant" tumor possesses this capability.
Show answer details
Correct answer: A
This statement is true. The fundamental biological distinction between benign and malignant tumors is their potential for metastasis. Benign tumors are typically well-encapsulated, grow locally, and do not invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant sites. Malignant tumors, however, are characterized by uncontrolled cell division, local tissue invasion, and the ability to metastasize (spread) to distant organs via the lymphatic or circulatory systems. Understanding this distinction is critical for exercise specialists when reviewing a client's medical history.
- 4
An exercise professional is reviewing a new client's medical history. The oncologist's notes indicate the client has a breast cancer diagnosis staged as T3, N2, M1. Based on the TNM staging system, which of the following represents the MOST critical consideration for the exercise prescription?
Show answer details
Correct answer: B
In the TNM staging system, 'M1' indicates the presence of distant metastasis. For an ACSM-ACS Cancer Exercise Specialist, this is the most critical piece of information because breast cancer frequently metastasizes to the bone. The presence of bone metastases drastically alters the exercise prescription by introducing absolute or relative contraindications to heavy skeletal loading, high-impact activities, and extreme ranges of motion to prevent pathological fractures.
flowchart TD TNM[TNM Staging System] --> T[Tumor Size/Extent] TNM --> N[Node Involvement] TNM --> M[Metastasis] M --> M0[M0: No distant metastasis] M --> M1[M1: Distant metastasis present] M1 --> Action[Critical Action: Screen for bone/brain/lung mets before exercise]
