Cancer of the head and neck has profound psychosocial and physical effects on patients, so quality of life (QoL) is an essential consideration-not only is it of importance to the patient but it also provides a subjective measure of the success of treatment. However, we know of little work about its influence on carers. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the diagnosis and treatment on the QoL of patients and their carers from baseline (preoperatively) to three months postoperatively. Thirty-six patients and 21 primary carers were enrolled, and patients completed one head-and-neck-specific measure, the University of Washington Head and Neck, Version Four (UW-V4), and three other questionnaires, both at the time of diagnosis and at one and three months postoperatively. The carers completed similar questionnaires except for the UW-V4. Analysis of the patients' data showed a serious deterioration in psychosocial and physical domains at one month postoperatively. However, the analysis of carers' data showed a highly significant deterioration in anxiety and depression domains (p<0.01), which remained low after three months. These findings highlight the need for psychological support not only for patients but also for their primary carers during the management of carcinoma of the head and neck.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare neoplasm which represents <0.1% of all tumors but it is considered the most common skin sarcoma. It is a slow-growing tumor that arises from the dermis and invades deeper tissues. The precise origin of DFSP is not well known. It is most frequently seen on the trunk, extremities, and head and neck. The standard treatment of the localized huge DFSP consists of a wide local surgical resection with recommended surgical margins of 2–3 cm. Local recurrence after incomplete excision is common. We present a case of 35-year-old man with enormous bulky mass on the face. Upon histological examination, the diagnosis of DFSP was made, and the patient underwent en bloc wide local excision of the mass followed by the use of Trapezius musculocutaneous pedicle flap reconstruction. On 32 months follow-up, no recurrence has been reported.