Oral cancer: 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 cancer

Sample item

A smoker has a persistent indurated ulcer on the lateral tongue for six weeks with cervical lymphadenopathy. What is the most appropriate next step?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Urgent specialist referral for biopsy assessment

A persistent indurated oral ulcer, particularly on the lateral tongue with cervical nodes, is suspicious for squamous cell carcinoma. Prompt specialist assessment and tissue diagnosis are needed.

Option by option

  • A. Urgent specialist referral for biopsy assessment (correct)

    Correct. Persistent high-risk lesions require urgent cancer-pathway assessment.

  • B. Polish the tooth only

    Dental polishing does not address an indurated mucosal lesion.

  • C. Prescribe antibiotics indefinitely

    Antibiotics do not establish or treat the cause of a suspected cancer.

  • D. Reassure and review in one year

    Delay can postpone diagnosis of a potentially curable malignancy.

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 Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Urgent specialist referral for biopsy assessment. A persistent indurated oral ulcer, particularly on the lateral tongue with cervical nodes, is suspicious for squamous cell carcinoma.

Why is "Polish the tooth only" not the answer?

Dental polishing does not address an indurated mucosal lesion.

Why is "Prescribe antibiotics indefinitely" not the answer?

Antibiotics do not establish or treat the cause of a suspected cancer.

Why is "Reassure and review in one year" not the answer?

Delay can postpone diagnosis of a potentially curable malignancy.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral cancer in Dentistry. Prompt specialist assessment and tissue diagnosis are needed.

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 cancer?

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.