Oral medicine and oral cancer: pigmented lesions: 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: pigmented lesions

Sample item

A 62-year-old has an enlarging, irregular, black-brown pigmented patch on the hard palate with a nodular centre. Which malignancy is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Mucosal melanoma

Oral mucosal melanoma arises most often on the palate and gingiva and is aggressive. Any enlarging, irregular, pigmented oral lesion needs biopsy.

Option by option

  • A. Mucosal melanoma (correct)

    Correct. A changing pigmented palatal lesion is melanoma until proven otherwise.

  • B. Kaposi sarcoma

    Kaposi sarcoma is purple-red, and is typical of HIV disease.

  • C. Adenoid cystic carcinoma

    Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a submucosal salivary tumour that is not pigmented.

  • D. Squamous cell carcinoma

    Squamous carcinoma is usually a white, red or ulcerated lesion rather than pigmented.

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 Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Mucosal melanoma. Oral mucosal melanoma arises most often on the palate and gingiva and is aggressive.

Why is "Kaposi sarcoma" not the answer?

Kaposi sarcoma is purple-red, and is typical of HIV disease.

Why is "Adenoid cystic carcinoma" not the answer?

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a submucosal salivary tumour that is not pigmented.

Why is "Squamous cell carcinoma" not the answer?

Squamous carcinoma is usually a white, red or ulcerated lesion rather than pigmented.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: pigmented lesions in Dentistry. Any enlarging, irregular, pigmented oral lesion needs biopsy.

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: pigmented lesions?

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.