Is There a Connection Between Nerve Density and Oral Cancer?

Recent research has looked into the connection between nerve density and Oral Cancer. Oral cancer is a type of cancer that affects many people. However, nerve density is a topic that is rarely discussed. The researchers hoped to examine the relationship between these two areas and draw conclusions.

When we hear the word “nerve” in a medical context, most people will not think about the nerves in their mouth. However, unbeknownst to many, there are many nerves in the area, including in the jaw and in the roots of the teeth.

In fact, some of the toughest oral pain to deal with happens when a nerve becomes exposed in the mouth. Therefore, research into this topic can be helpful, especially when a potential connection to Oral Cancer is examined.

Recent research has attempted to look into the relationship between nerve density and oral cancer – which is a topic that is highly relevant to the field of dentistry [1].

The Oral Cavity

The “oral cavity” refers to the mouth. There are multiple regions in the oral cavity. Each region has a different function – such as lips, gums and the tongue. Furthermore, we can’t forget the most important region in terms of oral health – the teeth!

There are many nerves in the oral cavity. Each tooth will have nerves. Other locations of nerves include on the inside of the cheek. Moreover, the nerves in the cheek are fewer in number than those on the tongue.

Due to the differences in quantity of the nerves in each area, the team looked to create a standardized metric for nerve density. This could be used consistently across multiple patients.

Oral cavity cancers are notoriously difficult to treat – with reoccurrence common [2]. Research shows that approximately two thirds of oral cancer cases are linked to tobacco and alcohol intake – though anyone can be affected [2].

The Research

The research team came from the University of Michigan’s Rogel Cancer Center and the School of Dentistry. Their work was published in the Clinical Cancer Research journal [1].

The team looked at how the density of a nerve within a tumor was connected with the growth of said tumor. As mentioned above, they looked to create a metric that would take into account multiple areas in the mouth to provide an overall indicative result [1].

This ensured that the findings would be highly relevant, as it would give a standardized metric that could be applied to any patient at any time.

Most of the work from the team was done using human tissue. This involved taking tissue samples from 142 patients with oral cancer. Therefore, the researchers had access to a range of samples.

The researchers were able to distinguish between the nerves and tumor through the use of staining with hematoxylin and eosin. Therefore, this provided the researchers with samples of both.

The team then used the aforementioned standardized metric to calculate the impact that the density of the nerve had on the tumor’s size. The tumor was monitored over time and then measured against the various nerve samples.

This was able to provide the researchers with definitive results. They found that the bigger the nerve density – the worse the outcome of oral cancer would be. Therefore, the researchers found that nerve density was crucial.

Author Comments

This is an important finding. The researchers pointed out that this knowledge could be crucial in treating cancer, as it will provide clinicians with added information on warning signs for potential tumor growth. Therefore, treatment outcomes may improve.

The authors commented on their findings. Senior author Nisha D’Silva said that her team “showed that tumors with high normalized nerve density seem to be associated with poor survival” for those with cancer [3]. Moreover, D’Silva said that the research confirmed that “patients with high normalized nerve density and a smaller distance between the nerve and the tumor have poorer outcomes” [3].

In terms of putting this into practice, the authors pointed out that if it can be worked out which cancers will be the most aggressive from the outset, then the clinicians can provide a more aggressive response from the start [3]. By having this metric, it provides researchers with more data to help them choose an effective treatment.

Looking ahead to the future, the team also discussed using artificial intelligence to measure normalized nerve density. They suggested that this could eventually result in the use of the metric in real-life situations [3].

Overall, nerve density can be a promising prognostic factor that clinicians can look into when dealing with cases of oral cancer. The authors will hope that this research will result in more informed decisions being made in treatments.

Thinking points…

1) There are some rather heavy topics in this article – including oral cancer and discussion of nerves. While these sound serious, it is important to use this article and its topics as a reminder of the importance of strong oral hygiene. Seeing a dentist for frequent check-ups can be hugely helpful! They will be able to spot any worrying signs and provide treatment if needed. We recommend that you book an appointment now!

2) Oral cancer is a type of cancer that affects many people – although out of all of the cancers, it isn’t widely discussed. It is important for people to be aware of the dangers of oral cancer and recent research into the topic. You could educate those around you by sharing this article and discussing it with them. For family members, this may help them to avoid oral health problems. We recommend sharing the article now!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a wide range of dental treatment options and advice aimed at improving their oral health.

It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] Perez-Pacheco, C., Schmitd, L. B., Furgal, A., Beillile, E. L., Liu, M., Fattah, A., Gonzalez-Maldonado, L., Unsworth, S. P., Wong, S. Y., Rozek, L. S., Rao, A., Wolf, G. T., Taylor, J. M. G., Casper, K., Mierzwa, M., & D’Silva, N. J. (2023). Increased Nerve Density Adversely Affects Outcome in Oral Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research. (Pre-publication issue). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-22-3496.

[2] Kademani, D. (2007). Oral Cancer. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 82 (7): p878-887. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4065/82.7.878.

[3] Megdell, A. (2023). Researchers identify new metric to articulate relationship between nerve density and oral cancer. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-05-metric-articulate-relationship-nerve-density.html. Last accessed: 18th May 2023.