Hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumour (HPT-JT) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disease. It is caused by a gene mutation of the tumour suppressor gene CDC73 that encodes for parafibromin. This syndrome predisposes to a triad occurrence of multiple maxillary or mandibular cemento-ossifying fibroma, parathyroid adenoma or carcinoma, and renal and uterine tumours. In this study, we report a case of HPT-JT occurring in a 30-year-old male patient.
Caregivers providing care for their family members with oral cancer usually endure the caregiving burden in silence, which affects their quality of life and necessitates the need for supportive care. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the quality of life (QOL) of oral cancer caregivers and their supportive care needs (SCN) in Malaysia. The Malaysian versions of the Caregiver Oncology Quality of Life Questionnaire (M-CarGOQoL) and the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for Cancer Caregivers (M-CNAT-C) were self-administered by 56 family caregivers of oral cancer patients from five tertiary hospitals throughout Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak between October and December 2021. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were employed, and the significance level was set at p < 0.05. The mean score for the QOL of caregivers was 76.16 ± 16.01, with the lowest scores in the psychological well-being (64.87 ± 30.12) and self-esteem (68.64 ± 28.29) domains. The mean score for SCN of caregivers was 36.42 ± 24.16, with the highest scores in the healthcare staff (58.44 ± 33.80) and information (55.35 ± 29.98) domains. The correlation between QOL and SCN was moderately inversed, (r(54) = 0.58, p < 0.01). There was a significant effect of caregiving duration (<3 h/day versus >3 h/day) on the combined dependent variables (QOL and SCN), F(2, 53) = 5.006, p < 0.01, partial η2 = 0.16. QOL and caregiving duration accounted for a significant 43% of SCN, R2 = 0.43, adjusted R2 = 0.41, F(2, 53) = 20.32, p < 0.01. In conclusion, oral cancer caregivers with poorer QOL have higher SCN. It is recommended that oral cancer caregivers be recognized by healthcare providers in order to deliver holistic patient care.
Communication is an integral component of effective healthcare delivery to patients, and this includes breaking bad news (BBN). However, clinicians in dentistry are rarely exposed to diseases that can negatively and seriously affect an individual's view of their future and pose a mortality risk, except for oral cancer. The aim of this study was to assess clinician practices in BBN of oral cancer diagnosis in Malaysia. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods study design was used. A qualitative study was conducted among 12 clinicians to gather relevant information regarding their practices in BBN of oral cancer diagnosis using a descriptive-interpretive approach. The themes that emerged were preparation for BBN, BBN setting, communication, emotional aspects, and summarizing the session. These themes were used to develop a questionnaire with 34 items. In the quantitative study, this questionnaire was sent to 87 clinicians who had experienced BBN of oral cancer diagnosis in the past 5 years; the response rate was 100%. An arbitrary cut-off score between the third and fourth quartiles was set to distinguish 'good' and 'poor' practice in BBN among the clinicians. The data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 23.0. Overall, at least two-thirds of the clinicians had good practices in BBN of oral cancer diagnosis. The clinicians' designation (oral and maxillofacial surgery consultant/specialist vs dental officer) and BBN experiences were factors associated with their practices in BBN of oral cancer diagnosis.