Bone tumours: metastases: practice question

A Orthopaedics 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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Orthopaedics · Bone tumours: metastases

Sample item

A 62-year-old man has a lytic lesion in the femur on a radiograph and no known cancer. Which group of primary sites most commonly gives skeletal metastases?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Breast, prostate, lung, kidney and thyroid

Breast, prostate, lung, kidney and thyroid carcinomas account for most bone metastases. Prostate gives sclerotic lesions, whereas kidney and thyroid give purely lytic expansile ones.

Option by option

  • A. Brain, skin, retina, nasopharynx and eye

    Brain tumours and retinoblastoma rarely metastasise to bone, and the list mixes unlikely sites.

  • B. Breast, prostate, lung, kidney and thyroid (correct)

    Correct. These five are the classic bone-seeking primaries.

  • C. Stomach, colon, ovary, cervix and pancreas

    These cancers metastasise to bone less often.

  • D. Liver, gallbladder, spleen, bladder and testis

    These primaries are less frequent sources of skeletal deposits.

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 Orthopaedics questions

Questions about this Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is B, Breast, prostate, lung, kidney and thyroid. Breast, prostate, lung, kidney and thyroid carcinomas account for most bone metastases.

Why is "Brain, skin, retina, nasopharynx and eye" not the answer?

Brain tumours and retinoblastoma rarely metastasise to bone, and the list mixes unlikely sites.

Why is "Stomach, colon, ovary, cervix and pancreas" not the answer?

These cancers metastasise to bone less often.

Why is "Liver, gallbladder, spleen, bladder and testis" not the answer?

These primaries are less frequent sources of skeletal deposits.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Bone tumours: metastases in Orthopaedics. Prostate gives sclerotic lesions, whereas kidney and thyroid give purely lytic expansile ones.

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 Bone tumours: metastases?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics 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.