In the first big discovery of the human body in recent times, scientists have now discovered a set of salivary glands set deep in the upper part of the throat.
Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute wrote about the discovery in the journal Radiotherapy and Oncology, adding that they most likely keep the upper throat behind the nose and mouth moist.
These glands are behind the nose in the nasopharynx region, which was previously thought to host only microscopic, diffuse, salivary glands. But this new discovery is of glands of about 1.5 inches (3.9 centimeters), according to Live Science.
Radiation oncologist Wouter Vogel and oral and maxillofacial surgeon Matthijs Valst made the unexpected discovery while studying the scans as part of their research.
According to Medical Xpress, the two researchers teamed up with their colleagues at UMC Utrecht and found that these glands showed up in every one of the 100 patients who had been scanned with the new PSMA PET/CT scan for prostate cancer treatment.
Doctors who use radiation to treat cancer and try to avoid delivering radiation to these newly discovered glands much like how currently they try to avoid the known glands.
(With inputs from Live Science and Medical Xpress)
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