The Medical journal of Australia
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To describe the epidemiology, clinical features, management and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the Northern Territory over the past decade. ⋯ HCC incidence remains high in the Indigenous people of the NT. More resources are needed for HCC surveillance and management programs in this population.
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Competence is a key component in patient consent, whether agreeing to or refusing a treatment. The law surrounding competence can be difficult to understand and interpret. We present a complex case involving a woman refusing life-saving surgical treatment. ⋯ The assessment of competence is often complex. We discuss the medicolegal issues raised and the legal tests that need to be addressed by clinicians involved in that assessment. Finally, we present the resources and methods available to doctors confronted with difficult or complicated scenarios involving patient competence.