Haematology and oncology: pure red cell aplasia: practice question

A General Medicine 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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General Medicine · Haematology and oncology: pure red cell aplasia

Sample item

A 55-year-old woman has severe normocytic anaemia with reticulocytopenia. Bone marrow shows absent erythroid precursors, and white cells and platelets are normal. CT of the chest shows an anterior mediastinal mass. Which mass is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Thymoma

Pure red cell aplasia is associated with thymoma in a proportion of patients, probably through autoimmune suppression of erythroid progenitors. Thymectomy can lead to improvement. Thymoma is also linked to myasthenia gravis and hypogammaglobulinaemia.

Option by option

  • A. Germ cell tumour

    Germ cell tumours present in young men and do not cause isolated red cell aplasia.

  • B. Retrosternal goitre

    A retrosternal goitre causes compressive symptoms, not marrow failure.

  • C. Thymoma (correct)

    Correct. Thymoma is the classic mediastinal mass associated with pure red cell aplasia.

  • D. Bronchogenic cyst

    A bronchogenic cyst is a benign developmental cyst with no marrow effect.

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 General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is C, Thymoma. Pure red cell aplasia is associated with thymoma in a proportion of patients, probably through autoimmune suppression of erythroid progenitors.

Why is "Germ cell tumour" not the answer?

Germ cell tumours present in young men and do not cause isolated red cell aplasia.

Why is "Retrosternal goitre" not the answer?

A retrosternal goitre causes compressive symptoms, not marrow failure.

Why is "Bronchogenic cyst" not the answer?

A bronchogenic cyst is a benign developmental cyst with no marrow effect.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Haematology and oncology: pure red cell aplasia in General Medicine. Thymectomy can lead to improvement. Thymoma is also linked to myasthenia gravis and hypogammaglobulinaemia.

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 Haematology and oncology: pure red cell aplasia?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine 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.