Perioperative care: oral leukoplakia: 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.

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General Surgery · Perioperative care: oral leukoplakia

Sample item

A 48-year-old tobacco chewer has a persistent white patch on the buccal mucosa that cannot be scraped off. What is the most appropriate next step?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Incisional biopsy and tobacco cessation

Leukoplakia is a white patch that cannot be rubbed off or attributed to another disease, and it is a premalignant lesion. Biopsy is needed to look for dysplasia or early carcinoma, with removal of the cause such as tobacco, and surgical excision for dysplastic lesions.

Option by option

  • A. Incisional biopsy and tobacco cessation (correct)

    Correct. Biopsy is needed to exclude dysplasia or cancer, along with stopping the habit.

  • B. Immediate wide excision with neck dissection

    Wide excision with neck dissection is excessive before histology is known.

  • C. Reassurance and review in one year

    Delay with annual review risks missing progression to carcinoma.

  • D. Topical antifungal therapy

    Antifungals treat candidiasis, which wipes off and is different from leukoplakia.

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.

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Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Incisional biopsy and tobacco cessation. Leukoplakia is a white patch that cannot be rubbed off or attributed to another disease, and it is a premalignant lesion.

Why is "Immediate wide excision with neck dissection" not the answer?

Wide excision with neck dissection is excessive before histology is known.

Why is "Reassurance and review in one year" not the answer?

Delay with annual review risks missing progression to carcinoma.

Why is "Topical antifungal therapy" not the answer?

Antifungals treat candidiasis, which wipes off and is different from leukoplakia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Perioperative care: oral leukoplakia in General Surgery. Biopsy is needed to look for dysplasia or early carcinoma, with removal of the cause such as tobacco, and surgical excision for dysplastic lesions.

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 Perioperative care: oral leukoplakia?

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.