A method is provided for detecting a cancer in an individual, the method comprising detection of a deletion in the nucleic acid sequence between residues 10743 and 14125 in mitochondrial DNA by extracting the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the biological sample obtained from the individual and quantifying the amount of mtDNA in the sample having a deletion in the nucleic acid sequence between approximately residues 10743 and 14125 of the mtDNA genome, and comparing the amount of mtDNA in the sample having the deletion to at least one known reference sample. Kits for conducting the method are also provided.