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Scientists Discover New Organ In The Throat That May Revolutionize Cancer Treatment

Scientists Discover New Organ In The Throat That May Revolutionize Cancer Treatment

Scientists have discovered a new organ in the throat while conducting prostate cancer research.

Previously, experts thought that there were only microscopic salivary glands in the nasopharynx region behind the nose. But, researchers (According to Sky News) at the Netherlands Cancer Institute have discovered a new set of salivary glands around 1.5 inches in length while scanning prostate cancer cells using a combination of CT scans and PET scans called PSMA PET-CT.

Due to their location above a piece of cartilage called the torus tubarius, they named them the "Tubarial salivary glands". The researchers examined at least 100 patients to confirm their findings and found that all patients had glands.

The newly-found set of salivary glands are likely to be used for moistening and lubricating the upper parts of the throat, researchers wrote online in the journal "Radiotherapy and Oncology".

Doctors inject a radioactive "tracer" into the patient during PSMA PET-CT scanning. This tracer binds well to the PSMA protein, which is elevated in the cancer cells of prostate cancer.

PSMA PET-CT scanning is also very good for the detection of salivary gland tissue, which is also high in PSMA. Until now, three large salivary glands were known to humans: one under the tongue, one under the jaw, and one at the back of the jaw, behind the cheek.

Doctors who use radiotherapy to treat cancers of the head and neck try to avoid the main salivary glands, as harming them can make it difficult for patients to eat, speak, or swallow. But radiation was still hitting these newly discovered glands, as doctors were not aware of their existence, causing patients to feel unexplained adverse effects.

Dr. Wouter V Vogel of the NCI, one of the researchers involved in the study, emphasized that their next step is to determine how these glands can be saved from radiation. They also said, Research findings could also help reduce the side effects of some cancer treatments.

Image Credit:- The Netherlands Cancer Institute

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