Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma occurs almost exclusively in adolescent males and tends to regress after puberty. The biological basis proposed for this behaviour is:

• A Oestrogen receptor mediated proliferation of stromal cells
• B Progesterone driven vascular endothelial hyperplasia
• C Androgen receptor expression in tumour cells making growth testosterone dependent ✓
• D Growth hormone excess acting on fibroblasts

Explanation

JNA tumour cells express androgen receptors, and the tumour behaves as a testosterone-dependent lesion, explaining its exclusive occurrence in adolescent males and occasional regression after puberty. Anti-androgen therapy such as flutamide has been used experimentally to shrink tumours before surgery. Oestrogen and progesterone receptors are not characteristic, and growth hormone has no established role, so those distractors fail on mechanism.

Reference: Scott-Brown's Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.