CBCN exam guide
About the Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN) exam
CBCN assesses the complete breast-care continuum from benign conditions, screening, risk and genetics through diagnosis, staging, treatment, symptom management, navigation, survivorship, and psychosocial care. Preparation should integrate imaging, pathology, biomarkers, surgery, systemic therapy, radiation, rehabilitation, surveillance, and patient-centered decisions.
MedPorium is an independent education platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC). Exam details can change; confirm them with the official source before applying.
CBCN exam format at a glance
- Questions
- 165
- 125 scored; 40 unscored
- Time
- 3 hours, including the tutorial and post-test survey
- Delivery
- Computer-based testing through PSI
Knowledge to review for the CBCN exam
These foundations support the practical tasks in the official examination matrix.
Breast health, risk, and diagnosis
- Breast anatomy, hormonal change, benign conditions, awareness, examination, imaging, screening, and special populations
- Risk models, modifiable and nonmodifiable risks, high-risk lesions, genetics, risk-based screening, endocrine prevention, surgery, and lifestyle
- FNA, core and surgical biopsy, histology, grade, lymphovascular invasion, nodes, ER/PR, HER2, proliferation, genomic testing, and staging
Treatment and nursing care
- Breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy, sentinel and axillary surgery, reconstruction, oncoplastic procedures, radiation, endocrine, chemotherapy, targeted and bispecific therapy
- Triple-negative, HER2-positive, inflammatory, Paget disease, phyllodes, angiosarcoma, male breast cancer, young adults, and gender-diverse populations
- Lymphedema, wounds, pain, range of motion, myelosuppression, skin, GI, menopausal, cardiovascular, fatigue, cardiopulmonary, rehabilitation, and emergencies
Navigation, survivorship, and psychosocial care
- Advocacy, resources, interprofessional coordination, financial, literacy, language, and transportation barriers
- Surveillance, imaging, symptom-directed work-up, recurrence, subsequent malignancy, bone health, neuropathy, cardiac effects, and treatment declination
- Body image, fertility, sexual health, intimacy, culture, spirituality, family, distress, grief, survivorship guilt, disparities, and social determinants
CBCN examination matrix
The percentages below are the approximate exam-score weights published by Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC). Use them to allocate study time, then adjust for your own weak areas.
19%
Care Continuum
Address breast health, screening, risk, genetics, navigation, barriers, surveillance, and survivorship.
- Differentiate normal change, benign conditions, abnormal findings, imaging, and risk-based screening
- Apply risk models, genetics, high-risk lesions, prevention, risk reduction, and special-population considerations
- Navigate resources and follow surveillance, recurrence, late effects, and survivorship needs
21%
Diagnosis and Staging
Interpret exam-relevant imaging, biopsy, pathology, biomarkers, genomics, and clinical and pathologic staging within nursing scope.
- Distinguish imaging and biopsy approaches and understand result terminology
- Relate histology, grade, invasion, nodal findings, ER/PR, HER2, proliferation, and genomic testing to prognosis and planning
- Apply clinical and pathologic staging and recognize indications for additional staging studies
24%
Treatment Modalities and Considerations
Understand surgical, axillary, reconstructive, radiation, systemic, subtype-specific, disease-specific, and population-specific treatment considerations.
- Compare breast and axillary surgery, reconstruction, oncoplastic options, and nursing implications
- Apply radiation, endocrine, chemotherapy, targeted, HER2-directed, and bispecific treatment principles
- Recognize treatment considerations for breast-cancer subtypes, uncommon tumors, men, young adults, and gender-diverse patients
24%
Nursing Practice
Assess and manage complications, supportive needs, rehabilitation, emergencies, professional issues, trials, and clinician well-being.
- Prevent, assess, educate, and support surgical, systemic, endocrine, and radiation effects
- Coordinate rehabilitation, palliative care, integrative care, clinical trials, guidelines, outreach, and shared decisions
- Recognize anaphylaxis, extravasation, sepsis, hypercalcemia, effusion, cord compression, and thromboembolism
12%
Psychosocial Dimensions of Care
Address culture, identity, disparities, family, body image, reproductive and sexual health, distress, grief, and social determinants.
- Assess distress, coping, grief, survivorship guilt, family and caregiver dynamics
- Support body image, reconstruction decisions, fertility, menopause, sexual function, intimacy, gender, and identity
- Address cultural, spiritual, age, access, financial, and social determinants across care
How to use this CBCN diagnostic
The diagnostic samples all five official domains. Review each item by care phase and decision type: screening or risk, diagnostic work-up, pathology or staging, treatment selection context, symptom management, emergency response, navigation, survivorship, communication, or psychosocial care.
High-yield CBCN study priorities
Priority 1
Connect pathology to treatment context
Practise translating histology, stage, grade, nodes, ER/PR, HER2, proliferation, genomics, age, and comorbidity into the purpose and nursing implications of care.
Priority 2
Know the full axillary and surgical pathway
Review sentinel and axillary procedures, reconstruction timing and types, drains, wounds, pain, mobility, infection, seroma, lymphedema risk, and rehabilitation.
Priority 3
Study surveillance without overscreening
Distinguish routine breast surveillance, symptom-directed evaluation, recurrence warning signs, late effects, subsequent malignancy, and survivorship follow-up.
Priority 4
Use shared-decision scenarios
Integrate values, risk, fertility, sexuality, body image, access, health literacy, culture, treatment burden, and patient preference with evidence-based education.
CBCN exam FAQ
How many questions are on the CBCN exam?
ONCC currently lists 165 multiple-choice questions. Of these, 125 count toward the score and 40 are unscored pretest questions that cannot be identified during the examination.
How long is the CBCN exam?
The test session is three hours, including 15 minutes for the computer-based testing tutorial before the exam and a post-test survey. There are no scheduled breaks, and the timer continues during an unscheduled break.
How is the CBCN content outline weighted?
The 2026 outline is weighted Care Continuum 19%, Diagnosis and Staging 21%, Treatment Modalities and Considerations 24%, Nursing Practice 24%, Psychosocial Dimensions of Care 12%. The percentages apply to the 125 scored questions.
How long is the CBCN testing window?
ONCC currently provides a 90-day testing window after authorization to test. Candidates should confirm processing times, authorization dates, and scheduling instructions directly with ONCC.
Who should verify eligibility for CBCN?
Candidates should confirm the current license, education, experience, practice-hour, and continuing-education requirements on the official ONCC page before applying. This study page does not determine eligibility.
Does this diagnostic predict whether I will pass?
No. A 15-question diagnostic is a low-confidence baseline, not a validated pass prediction. Review every rationale, then use larger mixed and domain-specific sets to build a more stable readiness estimate.
Is MedPorium affiliated with ONCC?
No. MedPorium is an independent education platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation.
Review and official source
Clinical reviewer: G. M. Whitney
Exam format and matrix information were checked against the ONCC Certified Breast Care Nurse certification page. Source reviewed October 12, 2026.
Ready to check your CBCN knowledge?
Take the free 15-question practice test to identify strengths and topics that need more review.