Skin tumours: Stewart-Treves syndrome: practice question

A Dermatology 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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Dermatology · Skin tumours: Stewart-Treves syndrome

Sample item

A woman who had a mastectomy with axillary clearance and radiotherapy 10 years ago develops purple nodules on the chronically swollen arm. Biopsy shows malignant vascular channels. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Lymphangiosarcoma (Stewart-Treves syndrome)

Stewart-Treves syndrome is cutaneous angiosarcoma arising in chronic lymphoedema, classically in the arm after mastectomy. It has a poor prognosis, and management is wide excision or amputation with oncological therapy. Early recognition of new purple nodules in a lymphoedematous limb is important.

Option by option

  • A. Cherry angioma

    Cherry angioma is benign.

  • B. Kaposi sarcoma from HIV

    Kaposi sarcoma is HHV-8 related and not arising in chronic lymphoedema.

  • C. Lymphangiosarcoma (Stewart-Treves syndrome) (correct)

    Correct. Angiosarcoma in post-mastectomy lymphoedema is Stewart-Treves syndrome.

  • D. Pyogenic granuloma

    Pyogenic granuloma is benign.

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 Dermatology questions

Questions about this Dermatology question

What is the answer to this Dermatology question?

The best answer is C, Lymphangiosarcoma (Stewart-Treves syndrome). Stewart-Treves syndrome is cutaneous angiosarcoma arising in chronic lymphoedema, classically in the arm after mastectomy.

Why is "Cherry angioma" not the answer?

Cherry angioma is benign.

Why is "Kaposi sarcoma from HIV" not the answer?

Kaposi sarcoma is HHV-8 related and not arising in chronic lymphoedema.

Why is "Pyogenic granuloma" not the answer?

Pyogenic granuloma is benign.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Skin tumours: Stewart-Treves syndrome in Dermatology. It has a poor prognosis, and management is wide excision or amputation with oncological therapy. Early recognition of new purple nodules in a lymphoedematous limb is important.

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 tumours: Stewart-Treves syndrome?

Learn each condition by its primary lesion, site and signature sign. Then use the flashcards and the other Dermatology 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.