Question 1

A 14-year-old girl developed an ill-defined radiolucency in her anterior mandible in association with a hypermobile tooth no. 25. She also had a numb lip. Which of the following should be suspected?

Accepted Answer

The presence of a radiolucency, hypermobile tooth, and numb lip in a young patient suggests a malignant process affecting the nerve, such as osteosarcoma.

Question 2

Which of the following signs/symptoms would be unlikely for a malignant neoplasm within the mandible?

Accepted Answer

Malignant neoplasms typically cause bone destruction rather than formation, so sclerotic bony margins are unlikely.

Question 3

A radiolucent and radiopaque lesion in the maxilla of a 35-year-old woman was biopsied. It was a neoplasm composed of malignant cells making osteoid. This most likely represents:

Accepted Answer

The presence of a neoplasm composed of malignant cells making osteoid in the maxilla suggests osteosarcoma, which is a type of cancer that produces immature bone.

Question 4

Osteosarcoma is known to be complication of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Osteosarcoma is a known complication of Paget's disease of bone, which can lead to malignant transformation into osteosarcoma.

Question 5

All of the following are signs or symptoms that are associated with malignancy in the jaw except:

Accepted Answer

Hypercementosis, the excessive formation of cementum on the roots of teeth, is not typically associated with malignancy in the jaw. It can be related to other factors such as inflammation, trauma, or systemic conditions but not specifically indicative of cancer.

Question 6

An ill-defined radiolucent and radiopaque lesion in the maxilla of a 65-year-old woman was biopsied. Histologically, it was a solid neoplasm composed of malignant plasma cells. This most likely represents which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The description of a solid neoplasm composed of malignant plasma cells in the maxilla of a 65-year-old woman most likely represents multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that originates from plasma cells, a type of white blood cell found in the bone marrow.

Question 7

A 15-year-old patient has a numb lower lip and pain in the right posterior mandible. A radiograph shows slight thickening of the periodontal membrane space of tooth no. 30. The tooth shows slightly reduced vitality to electric pulp testing. Which of the following should be included in a differential diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

The numb lower lip and pain, along with radiographic changes, suggest possible nerve involvement, which can be associated with malignancy.

Question 8

The Epstein-Barr virus may be associated with the etiology and pathogenesis of which of the following jaw lesions?

Accepted Answer

Burkitt's lymphoma is associated with Epstein-Barr virus, especially in endemic forms of the disease. This virus plays a role in the etiology and pathogenesis of this type of lymphoma, which can manifest in the jaw.

Question 9

Which of the following malignancies of the jaws characteristically affects the older adult population?

Accepted Answer

Metastatic adenocarcinoma to the jaws typically affects the older adult population, as it often represents a secondary site of a primary tumor located elsewhere in the body, which is more common in older adults.

Question 10

Which of the following malignancies would most likely be seen in children?

Accepted Answer

Burkitt's lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that is most common in children, especially in Africa. It is associated with the Epstein-Barr virus and is characterized by the rapid growth of tumors in the jaw and abdomen.

Quiz 14: Malignancies of the Jaws