Bone tumours: soft tissue sarcoma: practice question

A Orthopaedics 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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Orthopaedics · Bone tumours: soft tissue sarcoma

Sample item

A 50-year-old has a deep, painless, enlarging 9 cm mass in the thigh. Biopsy shows a high-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Which statement about its behaviour and management is correct?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. It spreads mainly through blood to the lungs, and treatment is wide excision with radiotherapy

Soft tissue sarcomas spread mainly by the haematogenous route, most often to the lungs, and nodal spread is uncommon. Treatment is wide local excision with radiotherapy for limb salvage, with chemotherapy for selected high-grade tumours. Staging includes a CT scan of the chest.

Option by option

  • A. Simple enucleation is adequate

    Enucleation leaves residual tumour and has a high recurrence rate.

  • B. It spreads mainly through blood to the lungs, and treatment is wide excision with radiotherapy (correct)

    Correct. Haematogenous spread to the lungs is typical, and wide excision with radiotherapy is the standard.

  • C. It responds to antibiotics

    Antibiotics have no role in sarcoma.

  • D. It spreads mainly through lymph nodes, and node dissection is routine

    Lymph node spread is uncommon, and routine node dissection is not recommended.

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.

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Questions about this Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is B, It spreads mainly through blood to the lungs, and treatment is wide excision with radiotherapy. Soft tissue sarcomas spread mainly by the haematogenous route, most often to the lungs, and nodal spread is uncommon.

Why is "Simple enucleation is adequate" not the answer?

Enucleation leaves residual tumour and has a high recurrence rate.

Why is "It responds to antibiotics" not the answer?

Antibiotics have no role in sarcoma.

Why is "It spreads mainly through lymph nodes, and node dissection is routine" not the answer?

Lymph node spread is uncommon, and routine node dissection is not recommended.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Bone tumours: soft tissue sarcoma in Orthopaedics. Treatment is wide local excision with radiotherapy for limb salvage, with chemotherapy for selected high-grade tumours. Staging includes a CT scan of the chest.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. 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 Bone tumours: soft tissue sarcoma?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics 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.