QBDOTW: A 20-year-old Female Presents with Small Firm Mass
Welcome to MedSmarter’s USMLE Style Question Break Down of the Week. For those preparing for the USMLE Step 1, this week we break down a high-yield Female Reproductive System question. As always you want to begin with reading the last sentence of the vignette first to get an understanding of what the question is asking for.
Question Break Down of the Week:
A 20-year-old woman presents to her physician’s office with a small, firm mass in the lower inner quadrant of her right breast that seems mobile when palpated. It is not tender. There are no overlying skin changes or nipple discharge. She has no family or personal history of breast cancer. Which of the following would most likely be found on biopsy of this mass?
A) Blue dome cysts and some atypical epithelial hyperplasia
B) Cells in a single file formation
C) Fibrosing stroma around normal-looking glands
D) Large cells with clear “halos”
E) Multicentric lobes with lymphocytic infiltrate
The correct answer choice is C: Fibroadenomas are the most common tumor in young women, presenting as small, firm, mobile masses. They are not associated with malignancy. On histology, the fibrosing stroma is seen around the normal duct and gland structures.
Did you think the answer was different?
Did you think that the correct answer choice was other than D? You can view this video for a deeper discussion of why A, B, D, and E were not the correct answer choices.
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