Skin: melanoma wide excision margins: 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 · Skin: melanoma wide excision margins

Sample item

After diagnostic biopsy a melanoma has Breslow thickness of 3 mm. What wide excision margin is recommended?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. 2 cm

Recommended excision margins depend on thickness: 0.5 cm for melanoma in situ, 1 cm for up to 1 mm, 1 to 2 cm for 1 to 2 mm, and 2 cm for thickness above 2 mm. Sentinel node biopsy is offered for lesions above 1 mm. Excessively wide margins do not improve survival.

Option by option

  • A. 2 cm (correct)

    Correct. Tumours above 2 mm need a 2 cm margin.

  • B. 5 mm

    A 5 mm margin is for in situ disease.

  • C. 0.5 cm

    A 0.5 cm margin is inadequate.

  • D. No further excision

    Further excision is needed after diagnostic biopsy.

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 A, 2 cm. Recommended excision margins depend on thickness: 0.

Why is "5 mm" not the answer?

A 5 mm margin is for in situ disease.

Why is "0.5 cm" not the answer?

A 0.5 cm margin is inadequate.

Why is "No further excision" not the answer?

Further excision is needed after diagnostic biopsy.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Skin: melanoma wide excision margins in General Surgery. 5 cm for melanoma in situ, 1 cm for up to 1 mm, 1 to 2 cm for 1 to 2 mm, and 2 cm for thickness above 2 mm. Sentinel node biopsy is offered for lesions above 1 mm. Excessively wide margins do not improve survival.

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 Skin: melanoma wide excision margins?

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.