MicroRNA is a kind of small noncoding RNA that regulates the expression of different genes and plays an important role in cancer cell invasion, migration and metastasis. Recently, research shows that micro- RNA-181a（miR-181a） regulates processes of cell differentiation, the immune system, tumorigenesis, tumor development and prognosis. This review introduced the structure of miR-181a and its function in the tumorigenesis and development, especially the research progress on the oral and maxillofacial malignancy, providing the theoretical basis for further study on miR-181a.
