A 54-year-old male complains of loss of appetite, weakness, fatigue, and unintentional weight loss of 10 pounds over the last month. His wife recommended that he get a physical examination. On physical examination, you do not find significant signs of a specific disorder. The complete blood count with differential shows anemia. A serum metabolic panel has all normal findings. Which diagnostic test(s) would you recommend to obtain more information?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Given the patient's age, symptoms (loss of appetite, weakness, fatigue, unintentional weight loss), and findings (anemia with normal metabolic panel), a digital rectal exam and colonoscopy are recommended. These tests are appropriate for evaluating potential sources of gastrointestinal bleeding, which could cause anemia and are important for screening for colorectal cancer, especially given the patient's age and symptoms.

A 54-Year-Old Male Complains of Loss of Appetite, Weakness, Fatigue