We usually though that we knew everything about human body… But now, a group of Dutch researchers has found what appears to be a new human organ (yes!) in the throat, a pair of glands located right at the junction between the nasal cavity and the pharynx. They have been named tubarial glands and everything indicates that they could have an important role in saliva production. The finding not only forces us to rethink anatomy as we knew it, it also opens the door to improving treatments against head and neck cancer.
The discovery of the tubarial glands
The discovery happened almost by chance, which is incredible! While tests were being carried out on patients with prostate cancer, specialists used an advanced imaging technique called PSMA PET/CT. Unlike magnetic resonance or ultrasound, this method showed in great detail some unknown structures in the nasopharynx.
After reviewing the results, the scientists confirmed that it was not a misinterpretation: what they were seeing was a real anatomical entity. The hypothesis is that these glands help produce saliva, although broader studies are still needed to know their function with certainty.
A new organ or not?
The finding has generated debate among experts. Some believe that these structures could be counted among the already known minor salivary glands, while others argue that it is a new organ… What do you think about?
Doctor Valerie Fitzhugh, from Rutgers University, has called for caution. She points out that the study was conducted on a small group of patients, mostly men, and that research must be expanded. Even so, she acknowledges that discoveries like this show how new technologies allow us to see things that went unnoticed for centuries.
Consequences for medicine
If it is confirmed that these glands are a functional organ, the clinical impact would be enormous. Patients with cancer of the throat, tongue or larynx often receive radiotherapy, a treatment that works but damages the salivary glands and causes dryness, difficulties swallowing or even speaking.
Radiation oncologist Wouter Vogel, from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, summarizes it this way: protecting these glands could completely change the way treatments are designed, making them less aggressive and better adapted to each patient.
It is not the first time this has happened
This is not an isolated case. In 2017, the mesentery, a structure linked to the digestive system and described centuries ago by Leonardo da Vinci, was reclassified as an independent organ after having gone unnoticed for centuries.
These examples remind us that the human body still keeps secrets and that, with the right technology, anatomy continues to give us surprises.
What comes next
It remains to be confirmed whether these glands have a unique role in saliva production or if they fulfill some other function. If so, we would not only be talking about a new organ in anatomy books, but also about an opportunity to design more effective and less invasive treatments.
In short, this discovery shows once again that anatomy is not a closed chapter. Science continues to advance and with it, our way of understanding the human body and taking care of it. Human body is something incredible!