Published on Oct 19, 2020
Robbins Review Vignettes

A 62-year-old woman who has had a chronic cough for years becomes short of breath after climbing a single flight of stairs. A chest radiograph performed 1 year ago showed increased lucency of upper lung fields and bilateral flattening of the diaphragmatic leaves. She has had nausea and vague abdominal discomfort for 6 months. Biopsy specimens from an upper gastrointestinal endoscopic study show a chronic nonspecific gastritis with no detectable Helicobacter pylori organisms. During the past month, she has passed red-colored urine on several occasions. Cystoscopic examination shows a 3-cm exophytic mass in the dome of the bladder, and biopsy specimens show a transitional cell carcinoma. Which of the following is most likely to lead to this spectrum of findings?

  • α1-Antitrypsin deficiency
  • Chronic alcoholism
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Exposure to aniline dye


Pathology revision series will continue till May INI. Since the pattern is not yet clear by AIIMS, I shall be adding more questions post the real exam and will continue discussion till next INI - Subscribe here today