If the research team succeeds in understanding how to maintain taste sensation, they could discover the best protective drug to prevent the loss of taste in patients undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer.
According to a reporter in Brussels, a research team from the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Humans and Molecular Biology (IRIBHM) at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) in Belgium has discovered a new factor that aids in the treatment of esophageal cancer.
In some treatment methods, particularly during chemotherapy, esophageal cancer patients may experience loss or alteration of taste. (Source: Getty Images).
The scientists studied this organ in laboratory mice to understand why certain cells found in the esophagus lead to cancer while others do not.
Through their research, they observed cells that were previously unknown and unidentified. These cells are located at the top of the esophagus. The scientists discovered that these are the “taste buds,” a phenomenon that has not been described in this organ before.
Known for their presence on the tongue to perceive different flavors, esophageal taste buds have not been observed until now.
According to researcher Benjamin Beck from the National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS), this is a “great” discovery in scientific advancement, as taste buds on the tongue have long been known, but finding them in the upper part of the esophagus is quite novel.
The initial observations were made on the esophagus of mice, which is quite similar to that of humans.
However, Benjamin Beck emphasized that: “this will need to be validated in-depth with the same level of precision as we have done in mice.”
The goal is to verify how complete the similarities are and to confirm whether the strategies for maintaining or restoring taste in mice can be applied to humans.
In some treatment methods, particularly during chemotherapy, patients may experience loss or alteration of taste.
If the research team succeeds in understanding how to maintain taste throughout life, they could find the best protective drug to prevent taste loss in patients affected by various conditions.
Benjamin Beck asserts that this will help “prevent the loss of taste,” and it is even possible that it may facilitate a quicker recovery of taste in patients suffering from taste loss.
This discovery opens up a potential field in science to assist various patients.
Researcher Benjamin Beck believes that this discovery “makes us optimistic about the possibility of achieving significant progress in maintaining taste buds.”
