Oral, Mouth and Throat Cancer

Biography

Biography: Hector Eduardo Lanfranchi Tizeira

Abstract

In view of the poor results observed in oral cancer patients diagnosed at a late stage of the disease in the city of Buenos Aires, we implemented a change in the oral cancer prevention strategy, which was first applied in the aforementioned city and then in almost all universities and provinces across Argentina. The new strategy involved three different levels: Examination of the border of the tongue as a first step in oral examination, as has been a mandatory requirement for students of the course for the last ten years, since this is the most frequent location of oral cancer in patients diagnosed at our Department. Training of 520 general practitioners from public hospitals in 15 provinces in Argentina for detection of early stage cancer. Creation of an online diagnostic network through which professionals send a photograph of the lesion taken with a conventional digital camera to the regional departments and the reference center at the School of Dentistry (UBA) for clinical diagnosis. Coinciding with World Head and Neck Cancer Day, a one-week campaign, “Poke your TONGUE out at cancer”, to increase awareness in the population was implemented in 15 provinces in Argentina for three consecutive years. The campaign involved the participation of all public and some private universities, public health ministries and health care centers, and a number of intermediate professional organizations. As a result of the last campaign carried out in 2015, a total 31 cases of OSCC and 601 of potentially malignant disorders were diagnosed.