Non-melanoma skin cancers — MCQs

A 72-year-old man presents to the clinic for the evaluation of a lesion on his nose that has been slowly getting larger for the past 2 months. The patient notes no history of trauma, pruritus, or pain, but states that the size of the lesion is making his nose feel uncomfortable. On exam, the nodule is pink with rolled borders. Telangiectasias are also present within the lesion, with central ulceration. What is the characteristic histologic appearance of this lesion?

A 34-year-old man presents to the office for evaluation of a lesion on his upper arm that appeared a few months ago and has not healed. The patient appears healthful but has a history of cardiovascular disease. He states that his friend at the industrial ammunition factory where he works told him he should "get it looked at." The patient admits to some nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea over the past year, but he states that he "feels fine now." On physical examination, the lesion is an erythematous, scaly, ulcerated plaque on the flexor surface of his upper arm. The rest of the exam is within normal limits. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 67-year-old man is referred to a dermatologist after a reddish mole appears on his nose. The mole’s size has changed over the last 2 years, and occasional bleeding is noted. The man’s medical history is unremarkable, and he does not take any medications. He retired from his construction job 15 years ago. Physical examination of his nose reveals a 2-cm pink papule with a pearly appearance and overlying telangiectasia on the ala of the nose (see image). Which of the following would be the best treatment modality if surgery is not an option?

A 39-year-old woman comes to the physician for a follow-up examination after a colonoscopy showed 42 hamartomatous polyps. The physical examination findings are shown in the photograph. Which of the following conditions is most likely to develop in this patient?

A 63-year-old man comes to the physician for the evaluation of a skin lesion on his chest. He first noticed the lesion 2 months ago and thinks that it has increased in size since then. The lesion is not painful or pruritic. He has type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and glaucoma. The patient has smoked 1 pack of cigarettes daily for the last 40 years and drinks two to three beers on the weekend. Current medications include metformin, atorvastatin, topical timolol, and a multivitamin. Vital signs are within normal limits. The lesion is partly elevated on palpation and does not change its form on pinching. A photograph of the lesion is shown. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 51-year-old woman presents to the dermatologist with concern for a new skin lesion (Image A). You note two similar lesions on her back. Which of the following is a true statement about these lesions?

A 62-year-old man seeks evaluation at an outpatient clinic for a single, red, crusty lesion on the shaft of his penis and a similar lesion on the middle finger of his left hand. He recently immigrated to the US from Africa. The lesions are painless and the physicians in his country treated him for syphilis and eczema, with no improvement. He lives with his 4th wife. He smokes 2 packs of cigarette per day and has been doing so for the last 30 years. He is not aware of any family members with malignancies or hereditary diseases. The physical examination is remarkable for an erythematous plaque, with areas of crusting, oozing, and irregular borders on the dorsal surface of the penile shaft and a similar lesion on his left middle finger (shown in the picture). The regional lymph nodes are not affected. A biopsy is obtained and the pathologic evaluation reveals cells with nuclear hyperchromasia, multinucleation, and increased mitotic figures within the epidermis. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 61-year-old Caucasian male presents to your office complaining of morning headaches of 6 weeks duration. A head MRI reveals a likely metastasis of unknown origin in the supratentorial region of the brain. On biopsy, the neoplastic mass is shown to have a mutation in BRAF, a protein kinase, in which a glutamic acid is substituted for valine at position 600 of the protein. Where did this metastasis most likely originate?

A 72-year-old man comes to the physician because of a lesion on his eyelid for 6 months. The lesion is not painful or pruritic. He initially dismissed it as a 'skin tag' but the lesion has increased in size over the past 3 months. He has type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and left hemiplegia from a stroke 3 years ago. Current medications include sitagliptin, metformin, aspirin, and simvastatin. He used to work as a construction contractor and retired 3 years ago. Examination shows a 1-cm (0.4-in) flesh-colored, nodular, nontender lesion with rolled borders. There is no lymphadenopathy. Cardiopulmonary examination shows no abnormalities. Muscle strength is reduced in the left upper and lower extremities. Visual acuity is 20/20. The pupils are equal and reactive to light. A shave biopsy confirms the diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 62-year-old woman comes to the physician for evaluation of a mole on her forearm that has increased in size over the last several months. Physical examination shows a 9-mm skin lesion on the right forearm with irregular borders. An excisional biopsy is performed, and genetic analysis shows a mutation in the gene that encodes B-Raf. Which of the following cellular events most likely predisposed this patient to developing this skin lesion?