Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer. Tobacco and alcohol consumption are implicated in 75% of all SCCHN and have a multiplicative combined effect. It is considered to be the main risk factor for the cancer development. The identification of a number of these genetic alterations, for example mutations in the p53 tumour suppressor gene, paved the way for their use as molecular markers. Mutations in the TP53 gene frequently occur in many cancers and are present in 50-60% of head and neck cancers, p53 plays a sentinel role in the pathways that prevent development of cancer by inducing apoptosis, DNA repair and cell cycle arrest in response to different types of cellular stress The aim of the study, was the assessment of the TP53 mutations prevalence in the head and neck cancer patients and it's relation with the clinical data and course of the disease. The material comprised of peripheral blood and tumour tissue obtained from 50 HNSCC patients with a primary tumour in the oral cavity, oropharynx or larynx, who were scheduled for surgical treatment. The mutations in TP53, were detected with use of PCR-SSCP technique. In total 8 patients (16%), showed TP53 mutation in primary tumour. The significant correlation between tobacco and alcohol consumption and the mutation incidence has been observed. The site of the tumour and histopathological grading were also related to the prevalence of mutations, however without reaching the level of statistical significance. There was no correlation between mutations and the T and N stage of the disease.