Oral medicine and oral cancer: field cancerisation: 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: field cancerisation

Sample item

A man treated for an early tongue carcinoma with clear margins develops a new carcinoma on the floor of the mouth four years later, with a different histological pattern. Which concept explains this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Field cancerisation

Field cancerisation means that long-term carcinogen exposure such as tobacco and areca nut affects the entire mucosal field and produces multiple, independent primary tumours. This is why patients with oral cancer need lifelong surveillance and cessation counselling.

Option by option

  • A. Implantation of cells at surgery

    Implantation at surgery would occur in the wound and not at a distant mucosal site.

  • B. Field cancerisation (correct)

    Correct. The exposed mucosa as a whole is at risk, producing separate primaries.

  • C. Local recurrence from positive margin

    A positive margin gives recurrence at the original site with the same pattern.

  • D. Lymphatic metastasis

    Lymphatic spread appears in nodes rather than as a new mucosal primary.

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 Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is B, Field cancerisation. Field cancerisation means that long-term carcinogen exposure such as tobacco and areca nut affects the entire mucosal field and produces multiple, independent primary tumours.

Why is "Implantation of cells at surgery" not the answer?

Implantation at surgery would occur in the wound and not at a distant mucosal site.

Why is "Local recurrence from positive margin" not the answer?

A positive margin gives recurrence at the original site with the same pattern.

Why is "Lymphatic metastasis" not the answer?

Lymphatic spread appears in nodes rather than as a new mucosal primary.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: field cancerisation in Dentistry. This is why patients with oral cancer need lifelong surveillance and cessation counselling.

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 Oral medicine and oral cancer: field cancerisation?

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.