Morphological assessment of the tubular glands of the nasopharyn
- Authors: Orlov A.E.1,2, Kaganov O.I.1,2, Bondarenko M.M.2, Makhonin A.A.2
-
Affiliations:
- Samara State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russia
- Samara Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary
- Issue: Vol 15, No 1 (2025)
- Pages: 49-53
- Section: ORIGINAL REPORTS
- Published: 20.03.2025
- URL: https://onco-surgery.info/jour/article/view/781
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.17650/2949-5857-2025-15-1-49-53
- ID: 781
Cite item
Full Text
Abstract
Introduction. In foreign literature, a number of authors identify such anatomical structures as tubular salivary glands, which, when exposed to radiation, lead to the development of xerostomia. There are still ongoing discussions regarding this discovery and the importance of tubular salivary glands for practical medicine as a risk organ during radiation therapy.
Aim. To study the morphological characteristics of the tubular glands of the nasopharynx on cadaveric material.
Materials and methods. At the Samara Regional Bureau of Forensic Medicine in the simulation center, material was collected from areas of the posterior surface of the nasopharynx and histological examination of the cadaveric material was carried out. Macroscopic and microscopic examination of the autopsy material was carried out. To perform the study, autopsy fragments were subjected to alcohol wiring and embedded in paraffin blocks. Then, 3–4 transverse sections, 5–7 μm thick, were made from each block, followed by staining with hematoxylin and eosin.
Results. Macroscopic and histological examination of nasopharyngeal autopsy specimens from 3 cadavers (2 fragments from each), selected randomly, showed that all 6 studied fragments correspond in structure to glandular structures and contain myoepithelial cells.
Conclusions. Conducting a morphological study after autopsy confirmed the presence of glandular tissue near the tubal ridge along the posterior wall of the nasopharynx, which refers to the salivary glands.
About the authors
A. E. Orlov
Samara State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russia; Samara Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary
Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3957-9526
89 Chapaevskaya St., Samara 443099;
50 Solnechnaya St., Samara 443031
Russian FederationO. I. Kaganov
Samara State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russia; Samara Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary
Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1765-6965
89 Chapaevskaya St., Samara 443099;
50 Solnechnaya St., Samara 443031
Russian FederationM. M. Bondarenko
Samara Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary
Author for correspondence.
Email: 8fairy8tail8@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1279-8000
Maria Mikhailovna Bondarenko
50 Solnechnaya St., Samara 443031
Russian FederationA. A. Makhonin
Samara Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary
Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2182-5429
50 Solnechnaya St., Samara 443031
Russian FederationReferences
- Semenov A.V., Gordon K.B., Rozhnov V.A. et al. Radiation therapy for localized laryngeal cancer in the hyperfractionation mode with uniform splitting of the daily dose. Radiation and Risk (NRER Bulletin). Radiaciya i risk (Byulleten’ NRER) = The Bulletin “Radiation and Risk” 2022;31(1):127–35. (In Russ.). doi: 10.21870/0131-3878-2022-31-1-127-135
- MacReady N. Looking treatment complications in the mouth. J Natl Cancer Inst 2013;105(2):76–7. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djs643
- Nathan C.O., Asarkar A.A., Entezami P. et al. Current management of xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients. Am J Otolaryngol 2023;44(4):103867. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2023.103867
- Hopcraft M.S., Tan C. Xerostomia: an update for clinicians. Aust Dent J 2010;55(3):238–44;quiz 353. doi: 10.1111/j.1834-7819.2010.01229.x
- Valstar M.H., de Bakker B.S., Steenbakkers R.J.H.M. et al. The tubarial salivary glands: A potential new organ at risk for radiotherapy. Radiother Oncol 2021;154:292–8. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2020.09.034
- Pringle S., Bikker F.J., Vogel W. et al. Immunohistological profiling confirms salivary gland-like nature of the tubarial glands and suggests closest resemblance to the palatal salivary glands. Radiother Oncol 2023;187:109845. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109845
- Narayan R.K., Kumari C., Panchal P. et al. A macroscopic salivary gland and a potential organ or simply tubarial sero-mucinous glands? Radiother Oncol 2021;154:324–5. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2020.12.016
- Schumann S. Salivary glands at the pharyngeal ostium of the eustachian tube are already described in histological literature. Radiother Oncol 2021;154:326. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2020.12.022
- Mudry A., Jackler R.K. Are “tubarial salivary glands” a previously unknown structure? Radiother Oncol 2021;154:314–5. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2020.12.003
- Li W., Wang J.W., Fang X. et al. Further comments on the tubarial glands. Radiother Oncol 2022;172:50–3. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2022.05.010
- Sakthivel P., Thakar A., Arunraj S.T. et al. Physiological PSMA uptake in the tubarial salivary glands and its implications in the PARIS protocol-A first study of its kind! Clin Nucl Med 2021;46(8):e398–e405. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003583
- Thakar A., Sakthivel P., Thankarajan Arunraj S. et al. Validation of postoperative angiofibroma radionuclide imaging study (PARIS) protocol using PSMA PET/CT-A proof of concept study. Clin Nucl Med 2021;46(5):e242–9. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003516
- Pushpa N.B., Ravi K.S., Durgapal P. Discovery of new salivary gland – а substantial histological analysis. Radiother Oncol 2021;161:92–4. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2021.06.004
- Holsinger F.C., Bui D.T. Anatomy, function, and evaluation of the salivary glands. Salivary gland disorders. Springer Berlin: Heidelberg, 2007. Pp. 1–16. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-47072-4_1
Supplementary files


