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DNB Radiation Oncology Previous Year Questions

These are the DNB Radiation Oncology theory questions asked by NBEMS in the December 2025 and June 2025 exams, listed paper by paper as they appeared. The Prep DNB app has all 22 DNB sessions from June 2014 to December 2025 — 861 questions in total — with repeat-question tracking, examiner keywords and MCQs.

Jump to: December 2025 · June 2025 · Important topics · Older papers

DNB Radiation Oncology December 2025 Question Paper

Paper 1

  1. a) Anatomy and lymphatic drainage of breast. [5] b) Anatomy and lymphatic drainage of prostate. [5]
  2. a) Explain depth dose curve. [3] b) Depth dose curve of electron, proton, Co60 gamma rays, 6 MV photon, 10 MV photon, and 15 MV photon energies. [3] c) Rationale and clinical application of Wedge. [4]
  3. a) PDD (percentage depth dose) curve. [3] b) Characteristics of electron PDD curves. [3] c) Clinical uses of electron beam. [4]
  4. a) Principles of hyperthermia. [3] b) Photodynamic therapy. [4] c) Integral dose. [3]
  5. a) Biodosimetry. [3] b) Survey meter and its uses. [3] c) Ion chamber and its types. [4]
  6. a) Cross sectional study. [3] b) Forest plot. [3] c) Phase II clinical trial. [4]
  7. a) Various types of cancer registries in India and the benefits. [5] b) Etiological factors for common cancers in India. [5]
  8. a) ALARA and its principle, with special reference to current scenario. [3] b) Dose limits for public and radiation workers. [4] c) Write a short note on half value thickness, with examples. [3]
  9. a) Tissue air ratio. [3] b) Tumor angiogenesis. [3] c) Follow-up of a treated case of locoregionally advanced carcinoma cervix. [4]
  10. a) Observational vs experimental study. [4] b) Cost-benefit analysis of cancer vaccines. [3] c) CAR T-cell therapy. [3]

Paper 2

  1. a) TNM staging of breast carcinoma. [5] b) Management of early breast cancer in a 34 years old female. [5]
  2. a) What is stage III carcinoma cervix? [2] b) Management of stage III carcinoma cervix. [4] c) Quality of life issues in a treated case of stage III carcinoma cervix. [4]
  3. a) Anatomy and lymphatic drainage of maxilla. [3] b) TNM Staging of carcinoma maxillary sinus. [3] c) Radiation planning of stage II carcinoma maxillary sinus. [4]
  4. a) Role of radiotherapy in stage I carcinoma lung. [3] b) SBRT in lung cancer. [3] c) Management of extensive stage small cell lung carcinoma. [4]
  5. a) AUA risk stratification for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. [5] b) Management of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. [5]
  6. a) WHO histologic classification of thymic carcinoma. [3] b) Modified Masaoka clinical staging of thymoma. [3] c) Management of thymoma. [4]
  7. a) Indications of radiotherapy in testicular tumors. [3] b) RT planning and doses for testicular tumors. [4] c) What is intermediate risk testicular tumor? [3]
  8. a) What is stage I endometrial carcinoma? [3] b) Role of radiotherapy in stage I endometrial carcinoma. [3] c) Molecular classification of endometrial carcinoma. [4]
  9. a) Workup of a fresh case of rhabdomyosarcoma. [3] b) Indication and standard radiotherapy doses in rhabdomyosarcoma. [4] c) Favorable or unfavorable location of rhabdomyosarcoma. [3]
  10. a) Unfavorable risk factors for stage I-II Hodgkins lymphoma. [3] b) Definitions of lymph node regions in lymphoma. [3] c) Management of favorable stage II Hodgkin's lymphoma. [4]

Paper 3

  1. a) Work up of grade III ependymoma. [3] b) Management of grade III ependymoma. [3] c) IMRT planning of grade III ependymoma. [4]
  2. a) T2 squamous cell skin cancer and its management. [5] b) Difference between squamous cell skin cancer and basal cell carcinoma. [5]
  3. a) Anatomy and lymphatic drainage of carcinoma esophagus. [5] b) Role of radiotherapy in management of upper one third carcinoma esophagus. [5]
  4. a) Short course vs long course radiotherapy in carcinoma rectum. [5] b) Targeted therapy in carcinoma rectum. [5]
  5. a) CDK4/6 inhibitors. [3] b) Rationale behind concurrent chemo-radiotherapy. [4] c) Radiosensitizer drugs. [3]
  6. a) Molecular markers in CNS tumors. [5] b) Radiotherapy in low grade glioma. [5]
  7. a) BRCA mutation and its clinical application. [5] b) Hereditary cancer syndrome. [5]
  8. a) Radiation mucositis and its grading. [5] b) Management of Gr 4 radiation mucositis in oral cavity malignancy while on chemoradiation. [5]
  9. a) Limb salvage in Ewings sarcoma. [5] b) Lung bath. [5]
  10. a) Plaque radiotherapy. [5] b) Management of ocular melanoma. [5]

Paper 4

  1. a) Cobalt-60 teletherapy source. [5] b) Strontium-90 radioisotope and its uses. [5]
  2. a) Radioiodine therapy. [2] b) Indications of radioiodine therapy, doses and side effects. [2+2+2] c) Low dose vs High dose radioiodine therapy. [2]
  3. Describe three brachytherapy radioactive sources in detail. [10]
  4. a) Cell survival curve. [4] b) Linear-quadratic model. [3] c) Multi-target model. [3]
  5. a) Cell cycle. [3] b) Cell cycle checkpoints. [3] c) Clinical use of various check points and its inhibitors. [4]
  6. a) Stochastic vs deterministic effects. [4] b) Oxygen enhancement ratio. [3] c) Relative biological effectiveness. [3]
  7. a) What steps you would take if a radioactive source is stuck in HDR brachytherapy machine during treatment? [5] b) How will you investigate the case of radiation overexposure due to source stuck in HDR brachytherapy machine? [5]
  8. a) SPECT CT and its uses. [5] b) TARE and its indications. [5]
  9. a) Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) and its four phases. [5] b) Explain hematopoietic syndrome and its management. [5]
  10. a) Principles of imaging in a suspected case of high grade glioma. [5] b) Molecular pathways and markers in a case of high grade glioma. [5]

DNB Radiation Oncology June 2025 Question Paper

Paper 1

  1. a) Briefly describe the anatomy and lymphatic drainage of the uterine cervix. [5] b) Discuss the latest FIGO staging in carcinoma cervix. [5]
  2. a) Classification and pathology of malignant brain tumors according to WHO 2021 updates. [6] b) What is the role of molecular biology in the management of gliomas? [4]
  3. a) Design an epidemiological study for the commonest female cancer in your institute. [5] b) What is the ideal constitution and role of ethical and scientific committee of any institute? [5]
  4. a) Population based cancer registry. [3] b) Need of having standards of cancer survivorship care. [4] c) Pitfalls in screening programs in India. [3]
  5. a) What is the basic technique, principle and rationale of IHC as applicable to oncology? [6] b) What is the role of IHC in the management of a case of metastasis of unknown origin? [4]
  6. a) Proton therapy: Bragg peak effect. [3] b) Proton therapy: Treatment planning. [3] c) Proton therapy: Clinical applications. [4]
  7. a) Describe the boundaries of current nodal levels of neck. [5] b) Discuss pathological classification of salivary gland tumours. [5]
  8. a) Target volumes as specified by ICRU Report 50. [5] b) Major differences between 3DCRT forward planning and IMRT inverse planning. [5]
  9. a) Radiobiological effectiveness. [3] b) eLora. [3] c) Confidence interval and Forest Plot. [4]
  10. a) Penumbra of electron beams. [3] b) Total skin irradiation. [3] c) Electron arc therapy for treating postmastectomy chest wall. [4]

Paper 2

  1. a) What are the various altered fractionation schedules in management of oropharyngeal cancers? [5] b) Describe the sequelae of concurrent chemoradiation in advanced head and neck cancers with special emphasis on geriatric population. [5]
  2. a) What is APBI (Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation)'? Mention various dosage schedules for delivering APBI. [5] b) What are the various methods of delivering APBI with their advantages and disadvantages? [5]
  3. a) What are the various treatment options to manage T3N2M0 superior sulcus tumours? [5] b) Discuss the role of stereotactic radiotherapy in node-negative early stage NSCLC. [5]
  4. a) How will you work-up a case of suspected testicular mass? [3] b) What are the treatment options for managing a case of pure seminoma stage IIA? [4] c) Discuss the role of radiotherapy in Wilms tumour. [3]
  5. a) What is the standard of care for a 45-year-old male with muscle invasive cT3N0 carcinoma urinary bladder? [5] b) What is the toxicity profile and the quality of life concerns in organ preservation protocol versus post-cystectomy setting? [5]
  6. a) Describe the classification in Hodgkins lymphoma. [4] b) Describe the role of radiotherapy in NHL: indications, toxicities and follow up. [6]
  7. a) Describe the staging of vulval cancer. [2] b) Management of nodes in vulval cancer. [3] c) Role of radiotherapy in vulval cancer. [5]
  8. Multiple myeloma: a) Smoldering myeloma. [2.5] b) Durie and Salmon staging system for multiple myeloma. [2.5] c) Principles of radiation therapy for solitary plasmacytoma. [2.5] d) POEMS syndrome. [2.5]
  9. Prostate cancer: a) Initial risk stratification for clinically localized Ca-prostate. [3] b) Indications, methods and doses of brachytherapy for prostate cancer. [3] c) Dosimetric comparison of LDR-BT versus HDR-BT for Ca-prostate. [4]
  10. Carcinoma cervix: a) Various target volumes for IMRT planning. [5] b) Principles of dose prescription for HDR brachytherapy in intact cervix. [5]

Paper 3

  1. a) Enumerate the common isotopes used for unsealed radionuclide therapy of bone metastases. Briefly mention the dosage schedules. [4] b) Describe the role of radiotherapy in bone metastasis, evidence of various fractionation and stereotactic radiotherapy. [6]
  2. a) What is the rationale and molecular basis of combining immunotherapy with radiotherapy. [4] b) Enumerate any six classes of common chemotherapeutic agents along with brief mention of their mode of action and clinical usages. [6]
  3. a) Discuss the role of radiotherapy in soft tissue sarcoma of lower limb. [5] b) Mention updates in the role of radiotherapy in retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma. [5]
  4. a) Advantages and disadvantages of different chemoradiation sequencing strategies. [5] b) Common molecular targeted therapies in combination with radiation or chemoradiation. [5]
  5. a) How is solitary plasmacytoma diagnosed? [2] b) Describe the role of radiotherapy in solitary plasmacytoma. [2] c) Describe the staging and basic chemotherapy regimens used in the treatment of multiple myeloma. [6]
  6. a) What is the evidence for total neo-adjuvant therapy in rectal cancer? [5] b) Describe the techniques in radiotherapy for anal canal cancer. [5]
  7. Osteogenic sarcoma: a)Principles of bone biopsy. [2.5] b) Fertility consultation before starting primary therapy in a young adult. [2.5] c) Any preferred chemotherapy regimen and dosage schedule in neoadjuvant scenario. [2.5] d) Role of adjuvant radiotherapy. [2.5]
  8. a) Enumerate various hormonal and targeted therapy agents used in prostate cancer therapy. [5] b) Principles of androgen deprivation therapy for M0 Castration- Sensitive cancer prostate. [5]
  9. a) Describe the causes and management of cardiotoxicity due to cancer treatment. [5] b) Describe the WHO pain ladder management in cancers. [5]
  10. Skin Cancers: a) Role of radiotherapy in Basal cell carcinoma. [3] b) Pros and cons of radiotherapy and surgery in Basal cell carcinoma. [2] c) How will you decide between the various techniques of radiation while treating a skin cancer? [5]

Paper 4

  1. a) What are unsealed isotopes? [2] b) Cite three uses of unsealed isotopes in oncology. [3] c) Describe the cobalt 60 teletherapy source and give a schematic diagram of its decay. [5]
  2. Describe the structure, pros and cons of MR linac. [10]
  3. a) Plating efficiency and surviving fraction. [4] b) Shape of survival curve for mammalian cells exposed to radiation. [6]
  4. a) Discuss the physiology of acute and chronic hypoxia. [4] b) What are the mechanisms of reoxygenation and the implications in radiotherapy? [6]
  5. a) 'Knudson two-hit hypothesis. [3] b) Apoptosis. [3] c) Tumour metastasis: Major pathways and molecular mechanism. [4]
  6. a) MRI-guided RT planning. [4] b) Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). [3] c) Stereotactic biopsy for CNS tumours. [3]
  7. a) Biological advantages of low dose rate continuous irradiation. [3] b) Parameters affecting central axis depth dose distribution. [3] c) Performance characteristics of a screening test. [4]
  8. a) Role of IHC in the management of NSCLC. [5] b) Describe briefly various immunotherapy and targeted agents with their mechanism of action used in the management of lung cancers. [5]
  9. a) Briefly discuss the duties and responsibilities of Radiological Safety Officer (RSO) in radiation oncology department. [5] b) Guidelines for comprehensive quality assurance of proton therapy center. [5]
  10. a) What is the principle and basic mechanism of PET-CT? [4] b) Apart from FDG, enumerate other common isotopes, their properties and uses in the field of oncology with special reference to CNS tumours. [6]

High-Yield DNB Radiation Oncology Topics

A selection of 30 of the 46 important topics curated in the app from repeated DNB Radiation Oncology questions.

Radiobiology — highest yield foundation

  • 4 Rs of radiobiology: repair, reassortment, reoxygenation, repopulation — clinical implications
  • Cell survival curves: D0, Dq, shoulder; linear-quadratic model, alpha/beta ratio
  • BED and EQD2 calculations; fractionation rationale (conventional, hypofractionation, hyperfractionation)

Radiation physics and equipment

  • Photon interactions: photoelectric, Compton, pair production
  • Percentage depth dose, TAR/TMR; electron beam characteristics and clinical use
  • Proton and carbon ion therapy: Bragg peak, SOBP, clinical advantages

Treatment planning

  • ICRU volumes: GTV, CTV, ITV, PTV (ICRU 50/62/83); OAR delineation
  • Dose-volume histograms: plan evaluation; QUANTEC/HyTEC normal tissue constraints
  • 3D-CRT, IMRT, VMAT: forward vs inverse planning; IGRT (CBCT, gating, DIBH)

Head and neck cancer

  • H&N RT: target volumes, parotid sparing, concurrent chemoRT (cisplatin)
  • NPC, oral cavity, larynx, oropharynx (HPV-positive): staging and RT protocols
  • Re-irradiation in H&N; brachytherapy in tongue/floor of mouth

Central nervous system tumours

  • Glioblastoma: Stupp protocol, MGMT methylation, re-irradiation, pseudoprogression
  • Low-grade glioma, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, medulloblastoma (craniospinal RT)
  • Brain metastases: WBRT vs SRS vs surgery; hippocampal sparing

Thoracic and breast oncology

  • Lung cancer: NSCLC (SBRT for early stage, concurrent chemoRT for locally advanced), SCLC (PCI)
  • Oesophageal cancer: neoadjuvant chemoRT; thymoma/thymic carcinoma
  • Breast cancer: whole breast RT, hypofractionation (FAST-Forward), boost, nodal RT

Gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary

  • Rectal cancer: neoadjuvant chemoRT (NCCN/ESMO), TME timing
  • Anal canal cancer: concurrent chemoRT (mitomycin-C + 5-FU)
  • HCC: SBRT, TACE + RT, transplant criteria; pancreatic cancer: borderline resectable chemoRT

Gynaecological oncology

  • Cervical cancer: definitive chemoRT, brachytherapy (IC/IS), parametrial boost
  • Endometrial cancer: adjuvant RT (EBRT ± vaginal brachy) based on risk groups
  • Vulval and vaginal cancer RT; ovarian cancer palliative RT

Genitourinary oncology

  • Prostate cancer: risk stratification, EBRT vs brachytherapy vs SBRT, ADT timing
  • Bladder cancer: bladder preservation (trimodality), adjuvant RT
  • Testicular seminoma: para-aortic RT; renal cell carcinoma palliative RT

Paediatric and haematological malignancies

  • Paediatric ALL/CNS prophylaxis, Wilms tumour, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma RT
  • Lymphoma: Hodgkin (involved site RT, ABVD + RT), NHL (DLBCL, mantle cell)
  • Total body irradiation in BMT conditioning

Older DNB Radiation Oncology Question Papers

The remaining 20 papers are available in the Prep DNB app, organized paper-wise with repeat-question tracking.

Get all 22 papers in the app

Previous Year Questions for Other DNB Subjects