Abstract: Mitochondrial DNA was the only genetic material outside of nuclear. The mutations of mitochondrial DNA were more often than those of nuclear DNA. The abnormal phenomena in mitochondrial DNA, such as point mutation, deletion fragments and microsatellite instability, were suspected related to the occurrence of head and neck tumors. Mitochondrial DNA mutation could become a new biomarker in the detection of head and neck cancers. In the paper, research progress in the structure and function characteristics of mitochondrial DNA, the mutations of mitochondrial DNA in head and neck tumors, the relationship between mitochondrial DNA mutations and the occurrence of head and neck tumors and the clinical values of mitochondrial DNA mutations were reviewed.

Key words: head and neck tumor, deoxyribonucleic acid, mitochondrial, mutation