Oral medicine and oral cancer: potentially malignant disorders: 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: potentially malignant disorders

Sample item

A 55-year-old woman with bilateral reticular white striae of the buccal mucosa now has a painful red, eroded area with surrounding striae. Which type of lichen planus carries the greater malignant potential?

AAll forms equallyBReticular formCPlaque form with no erythemaDErosive or atrophic form

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Erosive or atrophic form

Oral lichen planus is a potentially malignant disorder, and the erosive and atrophic forms are linked with a higher risk of transformation than the reticular form. Such lesions need long-term follow-up.

Option by option

A. All forms equally
Risk differs between clinical forms.
B. Reticular form
The reticular form is mostly asymptomatic and has a low risk.
C. Plaque form with no erythema
Plaque form lacks erosion and is not the highest risk.
D. Erosive or atrophic form (correct)
Correct. Erosive and atrophic disease has higher transformation risk.

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.

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is D, Erosive or atrophic form. Oral lichen planus is a potentially malignant disorder, and the erosive and atrophic forms are linked with a higher risk of transformation than the reticular form.

Why is "All forms equally" not the answer?

Risk differs between clinical forms.

Why is "Reticular form" not the answer?

The reticular form is mostly asymptomatic and has a low risk.

Why is "Plaque form with no erythema" not the answer?

Plaque form lacks erosion and is not the highest risk.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: potentially malignant disorders in Dentistry. Such lesions need long-term follow-up.

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: potentially malignant disorders?

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.