Oesophagus: staging of carcinoma: 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.

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General Surgery · Oesophagus: staging of carcinoma

Sample item

A patient with biopsy-proven oesophageal carcinoma and no distant disease on CT needs assessment of depth of invasion and regional nodes. Which investigation is the most accurate for this purpose?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Endoscopic ultrasound

Endoscopic ultrasound is the best investigation for T and N staging, showing the layers of the wall and peri-oesophageal nodes, and allows fine needle aspiration. CT assesses distant metastases and PET-CT improves detection of occult disease. Barium swallow only shows the length and stricture.

Option by option

  • A. Barium swallow

    Barium swallow does not assess invasion depth.

  • B. Endoscopic ultrasound (correct)

    Correct. EUS best delineates wall invasion and local nodes.

  • C. Plain chest film

    A chest film has no value for staging.

  • D. Serum CEA

    CEA is not a reliable staging tool.

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 B, Endoscopic ultrasound. Endoscopic ultrasound is the best investigation for T and N staging, showing the layers of the wall and peri-oesophageal nodes, and allows fine needle aspiration.

Why is "Barium swallow" not the answer?

Barium swallow does not assess invasion depth.

Why is "Plain chest film" not the answer?

A chest film has no value for staging.

Why is "Serum CEA" not the answer?

CEA is not a reliable staging tool.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oesophagus: staging of carcinoma in General Surgery. CT assesses distant metastases and PET-CT improves detection of occult disease. Barium swallow only shows the length and stricture.

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 Oesophagus: staging of carcinoma?

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.