Neoplasia: practice question

A Pathology 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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Pathology · Neoplasia

Sample item

A teenager has hundreds of colonic polyps and a cerebellar medulloblastoma. A germline APC mutation is found. What is the syndrome?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Turcot syndrome

Turcot syndrome combines colorectal polyposis with a primary brain tumour. The APC-related form is linked to medulloblastoma and the mismatch repair form to glioblastoma.

Option by option

  • A. Gardner syndrome

    Gardner syndrome has osteomas and desmoids rather than a brain tumour.

  • B. Li-Fraumeni syndrome

    Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a p53 defect with sarcomas, breast cancer and brain tumours, but not polyposis.

  • C. Turcot syndrome (correct)

    Correct. Polyposis with a central nervous system tumour is Turcot syndrome.

  • D. Cowden syndrome

    Cowden syndrome is a PTEN hamartoma syndrome with breast and thyroid cancer.

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 Pathology questions

Questions about this Pathology question

What is the answer to this Pathology question?

The best answer is C, Turcot syndrome. Turcot syndrome combines colorectal polyposis with a primary brain tumour.

Why is "Gardner syndrome" not the answer?

Gardner syndrome has osteomas and desmoids rather than a brain tumour.

Why is "Li-Fraumeni syndrome" not the answer?

Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a p53 defect with sarcomas, breast cancer and brain tumours, but not polyposis.

Why is "Cowden syndrome" not the answer?

Cowden syndrome is a PTEN hamartoma syndrome with breast and thyroid cancer.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Neoplasia in Pathology. The APC-related form is linked to medulloblastoma and the mismatch repair form to glioblastoma.

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 Neoplasia?

Learn each disease as a bundle: cause, key histology, markers, and the clinical hallmark. Then use the flashcards and the other Pathology 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.