Oral medicine and oral cancer: selective neck dissection levels: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Oral medicine and oral cancer: selective neck dissection levels

Sample item

A patient with a T2 cN0 carcinoma of the lateral tongue is planned for a selective neck dissection. Which levels are cleared in a supraomohyoid dissection?

ALevels I to IIIBLevels VI and VIICLevels II to VDLevels IV and V only

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Levels I to III

Supraomohyoid neck dissection removes levels I, II and III, which are the first echelon nodes for oral cavity cancers. Lateral dissection of levels II to IV is used for laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers.

Option by option

A. Levels I to III (correct)
Correct. Levels I to III are cleared for oral cavity carcinoma.
B. Levels VI and VII
Levels VI and VII are central compartment and superior mediastinal nodes.
C. Levels II to V
Levels II to V correspond to a modified radical dissection beyond the first echelon.
D. Levels IV and V only
Levels IV and V are low and posterior nodes and not primary echelon in the oral tongue.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Levels I to III. Supraomohyoid neck dissection removes levels I, II and III, which are the first echelon nodes for oral cavity cancers.

Why is "Levels VI and VII" not the answer?

Levels VI and VII are central compartment and superior mediastinal nodes.

Why is "Levels II to V" not the answer?

Levels II to V correspond to a modified radical dissection beyond the first echelon.

Why is "Levels IV and V only" not the answer?

Levels IV and V are low and posterior nodes and not primary echelon in the oral tongue.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: selective neck dissection levels in Dentistry. Lateral dissection of levels II to IV is used for laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral medicine and oral cancer: selective neck dissection levels?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.