Genetic basis of conditions commonly seen in ORL practice

As science continues to unravel the genetic basis of disease, an understanding of genetics has become increasingly critical to the practicing clinician. Otorhinolaryngology, a comprehensive specialty in which the physician is responsible for delivering both medical and surgical care within their scope of practice, requires the practitioner to have a fund of knowledge in genetics to effectively communicate and counsel patients. This introductory chapter highlights what is known about the complexity of the human genome and various applications of genetics throughout the field of otorhinolaryngology to be discussed in subsequent chapters. These entities include the genetics of hearing impairment, skull base tumors, molecular genetics in head and neck cancer and systemic diseases with otolaryngologic features.