As a member of p53 family, p73 is gaining increasing attention because it has high structural and functional homology with p53. TAp73, a full-length isoform of p73, can arrest cell cycle and induce cell apoptosis; it may also exert its effect on the target gene of p53, and is therefore considered as a new tumor suppressor gene. Further research on p73 may cast new lights on the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. This paper describes the structure and function of p73 and its relationship with development, progression and prognosis of gynecological tumors.