Head and neck tumours: sinonasal mucosal melanoma: practice question

A ENT 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.

Try it

ENT · Head and neck tumours: sinonasal mucosal melanoma

Sample item

A 65-year-old man has recurrent unilateral epistaxis and a dark polypoid mass in the nasal cavity. Biopsy shows melanocytic cells positive for S100 and HMB-45. What is true about this tumour?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. It has a poor prognosis and is treated by wide surgical excision with or without adjuvant radiotherapy

Sinonasal mucosal melanoma is an aggressive tumour with a 5-year survival below 30 percent, and arises in the nasal cavity and maxillary sinus. Treatment is wide excision, typically endoscopic or open, plus adjuvant radiotherapy. Distant metastases are common.

Option by option

  • A. It is usually cured by simple polypectomy

    Polypectomy leaves residual tumour and leads to recurrence.

  • B. It has a poor prognosis and is treated by wide surgical excision with or without adjuvant radiotherapy (correct)

    Correct. It is aggressive and needs wide excision.

  • C. It has an excellent prognosis with antibiotics

    It is not infective.

  • D. It never metastasises

    Metastasis is common.

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.

More ENT questions

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is B, It has a poor prognosis and is treated by wide surgical excision with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. Sinonasal mucosal melanoma is an aggressive tumour with a 5-year survival below 30 percent, and arises in the nasal cavity and maxillary sinus.

Why is "It is usually cured by simple polypectomy" not the answer?

Polypectomy leaves residual tumour and leads to recurrence.

Why is "It has an excellent prognosis with antibiotics" not the answer?

It is not infective.

Why is "It never metastasises" not the answer?

Metastasis is common.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck tumours: sinonasal mucosal melanoma in ENT. Treatment is wide excision, typically endoscopic or open, plus adjuvant radiotherapy. Distant metastases are common.

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 Head and neck tumours: sinonasal mucosal melanoma?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT 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.