Small bowel: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: practice question

A General Surgery 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

General Surgery · Small bowel: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Sample item

A child with brown perioral macules presents with colicky pain from intussusception. Polyps in the small bowel are removed. What is the nature of the polyps and the underlying gene?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Hamartomas with STK11 (LKB1) mutation

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is autosomal dominant, with mucocutaneous pigmentation and hamartomatous polyps mostly in the small bowel, and it causes recurrent intussusception. STK11 mutation is responsible. Lifetime risk of GI, breast and pancreatic cancers is raised, so surveillance is required.

Option by option

  • A. Inflammatory pseudopolyps with no mutation

    Pseudopolyps occur in inflammatory bowel disease.

  • B. Hyperplastic polyps with MLH1 mutation

    MLH1 is a mismatch repair gene involved in Lynch syndrome.

  • C. Hamartomas with STK11 (LKB1) mutation (correct)

    Correct. These are hamartomatous polyps linked to STK11.

  • D. Adenomas with APC mutation

    APC mutation underlies familial adenomatous polyposis.

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 General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is C, Hamartomas with STK11 (LKB1) mutation. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is autosomal dominant, with mucocutaneous pigmentation and hamartomatous polyps mostly in the small bowel, and it causes recurrent intussusception.

Why is "Inflammatory pseudopolyps with no mutation" not the answer?

Pseudopolyps occur in inflammatory bowel disease.

Why is "Hyperplastic polyps with MLH1 mutation" not the answer?

MLH1 is a mismatch repair gene involved in Lynch syndrome.

Why is "Adenomas with APC mutation" not the answer?

APC mutation underlies familial adenomatous polyposis.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Small bowel: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome in General Surgery. STK11 mutation is responsible. Lifetime risk of GI, breast and pancreatic cancers is raised, so surveillance is required.

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 Small bowel: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery 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.