Understanding the Anatomy of the Throat
In order to begin to understand glottic cancer, it helps to understand the anatomy of the larynx, or voice box, and the glottis, which is part of the larynx. The larynx is located in the throat below the oropharynx and in front of the hypopharynx. It is in the middle of the neck, and is made up of multiple cartilaginous structures, the most prominent being the thyroid cartilage (sometimes called the Adam’s Apple).
The Anatomy of the Larynx
The anatomy of the larynx is quite complicated, but it can be broken down into three sections: the supraglottis, glottis, and the subglottis. A cancer that starts in one part of the larynx can grow into one or both of the other subsites.
The Glottis, or Vocal Cords
The glottis, also known as the vocal cords are responsible for producing one’s voice. For this reason, glottic cancer can also be thought of as vocal cord cancer. The glottis contains the two true vocal cords, which form a V shape, coming together at the front of the larynx which is called the anterior commissure where they attach to the inner part of the thyroid cartilage. The vocal cords attach at the back to the arytenoid cartilages, which sit on a joint (the cricoarytenoid joint) that allows the vocal cords to move. Each vocal cord is innervated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which enters the voice box from the outside, after traveling up from the chest in the space between the trachea and the esophagus (the tracheoesophageal groove).
