Vestibular schwannoma: management: practice question

A ENT 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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ENT · Vestibular schwannoma: management

Sample item

A 78-year-old has a 8 mm intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma discovered incidentally with mild hearing loss. What is the preferred approach?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Observation with serial MRI

Small, slow-growing tumours in elderly or asymptomatic patients are managed by wait-and-scan. Growing or symptomatic tumours are treated by stereotactic radiosurgery or microsurgery.

Option by option

  • A. Whole brain radiotherapy

    Whole brain radiotherapy is inappropriate for a benign local tumour.

  • B. Observation with serial MRI (correct)

    Correct. Serial MRI is appropriate for small stable tumours in the elderly.

  • C. Chemotherapy

    Chemotherapy is not effective.

  • D. Immediate translabyrinthine excision

    Surgery carries risks and is not needed for a small stable lesion.

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 ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is B, Observation with serial MRI. Small, slow-growing tumours in elderly or asymptomatic patients are managed by wait-and-scan.

Why is "Whole brain radiotherapy" not the answer?

Whole brain radiotherapy is inappropriate for a benign local tumour.

Why is "Chemotherapy" not the answer?

Chemotherapy is not effective.

Why is "Immediate translabyrinthine excision" not the answer?

Surgery carries risks and is not needed for a small stable lesion.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vestibular schwannoma: management in ENT. Growing or symptomatic tumours are treated by stereotactic radiosurgery or microsurgery.

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 Vestibular schwannoma: management?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT 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.