Scientists have identified a previously unknown set of salivary glands in the upper part of the throat. The discovery suggests the first set of essential glands found in the human body in 300 years. The discovery can help improve people’s quality of life receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
The new set of glands is an average of about 1.5 inches, located in the nasopharyngeal region below the nose and above the throat. Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam stated that circulating these glands in radiotherapy can help reduce the difficulty in swallowing and swallowing patients with head and neck cancer experience after radiation therapy.
“The human body consists of a pair of previously undiscovered and clinically relevant macroscopic salivary gland locations, for which we propose the name of the tubular glands. Circulating these glands in patients receiving radiation therapy (RT) may provide an opportunity to improve their quality of life,” the researchers wrote in a paper published in the Open Access Journal, Radiotherapy, and Oncology.
According to a Science report, more research is needed to confirm that these are a new primary set of salivary glands, and if approved, it will occur in about 300 years of new salivary glands.
The new glands are labelled as tubercular salivary glands because they are located on cartilage called the torus tuberous. The discovery was accidental because researchers were studying prostate cancer.
According to the statement, radiation oncologist Wouter Vogel said, “People have three sets of large salivary glands, but not there. The only salivary or mucous glands in the nasopharynx are microscopically small, and up to 1000 are evenly spread out throughout the mucosa. So, imagine our surprise when we found these”. Vogel is one of the researchers to have discovered this gland.
Head and neck cancers are a leading contributor to India’s cancer burden, with a large majority comprising cancer of the oral cavity, followed by that of the pharynx (part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity), according to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s cancer registry.
(Sources: www.dnaindia.com)
Questions
Which new gland is found in the human body by scientists?
a. Circular salivary glands
b. Spherical salivary glands
c. Cylindrical salivary glands
d. Tubercular salivary glands
Ans- D
What needs to be proved?
a. Discovery of new set of salivary gland
b. Discovery of new joint set of pituitary gland
c. Discovery of twin thyroid gland
d. None
Ans-A
Whom will the new salivary glands prove beneficial
a. To kidney patients
b. To OCD patients
c. To cancer patients
d. To depressed patients
Ans- C
How were these new glands found?
a. While studying lymphoid tumour
b. While studying prostrate cancer
c. While having a sip of tea
d. While operating a kidney patient
Ans-B
