TITLE:
Was the “stick your tongue out at cancer" campaign in Argentina, capable of reaching the population at most risk?
Authors: Lopez de Blanc SA, Morelatto R, Bachmeier E, Bolesina N, Rivarola E, Ingrassia Tonelli ME, Bongiovanni IR, Panico R, Piemonte E.
 
Background: The intervention program “stick your tongue out at cancer" helped to improve early-stage diagnosis from 27% to 40% by reducing professional delays in Córdoba, Argentina. However not patient-related factors for delayed of oral cancer diagnosis was achieved.
The objective of the present work was to analyze the results of 10 years of the Argentinian campaign of prevention of oral cancer.
Methods: A total of 11,623 participant records collected during campaigns from 2014 to 2025 were included. Data were obtained as a self-completing questionnaire that collected information about risk factors and then the dentists examined the oral cavity. Age, sex, risk factors and clinical diagnosis were analyzed.
 
Results: It was noted that the majority of participants (between 64% and 70%) were women aged between 40 and 69. Smoking and alcohol consumption habits varied greatly depending on the region of the country: between 18% and 38% of participants smoked, between 12% and 42% admitted to drinking alcohol daily, and consumption of hot infusions such as mate varied between 36% and 77%.
The clinical oral examination revealed few relevant findings: only 1% were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, and between 15% and 17% of participants had potentially malignant oral disorders. Finally, between 79% and 96% of participants, depending on the region, had benign lesions or normal oral mucosa.
Conclusions: This campaign would not be as effective as expected as a screening method; however, it is highly valuable for raising awareness among the population, while also promoting specialized care centers for early diagnosis. In light of these results, we must reconsider the importance of regular oral examinations, particularly for community health workers.