BCSE Pathology 4

Question 1

A 50-year-old smoker presents with a central lung mass. Biopsy shows small cells with scant cytoplasm, 'salt and pepper' chromatin, and neurosecretory granules. This tumor most commonly secretes which paraneoplastic product?

Accepted Answer

ACTH or ADH

Answer

Small cell lung carcinoma is a neuroendocrine tumor that most commonly causes paraneoplastic syndromes by ectopically secreting ACTH (causing Cushing syndrome) or ADH (causing SIADH).

Question 2

Microscopically, an atherosclerotic plaque contains foam cells. These foam cells are derived from which cell type?

Accepted Answer

Macrophages

Answer

Foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques are lipid-laden macrophages that have engulfed oxidized LDL via scavenger receptors.

Question 3

A 3-year-old child presents with hematuria, a flank mass, and hypertension. Nephrectomy reveals a tumor with blastemal, stromal, and epithelial components. What is the diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma)

Answer

Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma) is the most common renal malignancy in children and characteristically shows triphasic histology with blastemal, stromal, and epithelial elements.

Question 4

A patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has the Philadelphia chromosome. This translocation creates which fusion oncogene?

Accepted Answer

BCR-ABL1

Answer

The Philadelphia chromosome results from t(9;22) translocation, creating the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene that encodes a constitutively active tyrosine kinase.

Question 5

Which chemical mediator is primarily responsible for the increased vascular permeability seen in the immediate phase of acute inflammation?

Accepted Answer

Histamine

Answer

Histamine released from mast cells is the primary mediator of the immediate (seconds to minutes) increase in vascular permeability in acute inflammation.

BCSE - Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination Practice Test

BCSE - Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination Practice Test

BCSE Pathology 4