Methaneseleninic acid is conveniently synthesized through oxidation of commercially available dimethyl diselenide by 3% hydrogen peroxide.

[2] Seleninic acids can be prepared by oxidation of selenoesters with one equivalent of dimethyldioxirane (DMDO).

[7] Methaneseleninic acid shows superior in vivo inhibitory efficacy toward human prostate cancer compared to selenomethionine or selenite (ion).

[8] It has recently been reported that methaneseleninic acid enhances the efficacy of paclitaxel for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer,[9] that methaneseleninic acid functions as an aromatase inhibitor, of possible use in therapy for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women,[10] that methaneseleninic acid shows promise as a sensitizing agent for apoptosis induced by the Bcl-2-family inhibitor ABT-737 in several cancer lines,[11] and that methaneseleninic acid restricts tumor growth in the nude mouse model of metastatic breast cancer[12] and Lewis lung carcinoma in mice.

[13] Methaneselenol (CH3SeH) can be produced in vivo by reduction of methaneseleninic acid and may in fact be the key metabolite responsible for selenium’s anticancer activity[2][14] through generation of superoxide.