The inhibitory effect of selenium, vitamin E, and BHA on DMBA-induced mammary tumorigenesis in rats was investigated. Dietary vitamin E (200 IU/Kg diet) alone could not reduce the tumor incidence at 25 weeks after DMBA administration (10mg DMBA/rat) when selenium was deficient. Selenium supplementation (2ppm in drinking water) to rats fed a practical diet (0.17 ppm Se) reduced the tumor incidence to 14.3% from 75% at 27 weeks after DMBA administration. Dietary supplementation of BHA (0.75%) also reduced the incidence of DMBA-induced mammary tumor to 42.9% at 27 weeks after DMBA-treatment. Rats fed a diet deficient in both selenium and vitamin E contained significantly lower glutathione peroxidase activity and higher malondialdehyde in muscle. However, supplementation of selenium or BHA to the rats fed a practical diet did not alter the malondialdehyde content and glutathione peroxidase activities in muscle, skin and mammary gland. Dietary selenium increased the tissue selenium level.