Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was reported to exert weak cytotoxicity against normal healthy cells such as C3H10T1/2 cells, but profound inhibitory effects on the initiation or promotion stage of chemical carcinogenesis in mammary gland, blood and mouse skin. This study was carried out to develop antitumor agents with weak side effects and strong antitumor activity. Human skin melanoma cells (HBT 69) and human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells (OCL 17) were cultured in RPMI-1640 media containing 10% fetal bovine serum, antibiotic, and fungizone. After incubation for 24 hrs, the cells were treated with various amounts of (EGCG) for 48 hrs. The growth inhibitory effects of EGCG in human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells were evaluated by the 3- (4,5-djmethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), neutral red (NR), and sulforhodamine B protein (SRB) assays of colorimetric methods. The light microscopic study was also carried out to observe morphological changes of the treated cells. These results obtained were as follows; 1. Significantly inhibitory effects of EGCG against cultured human oral epithelioid carcinoma cells. 2. Significantly inhibitory effects against cultured human skin melanoma cells treated with 50 $mu$M EGCG, but decreased inhibitory effects in 100 $mu$M EGCG. 3. Degenerative changes against cultured human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells. 4. Degenerative changes against human skin melanoma cells treated with 50 UM EGCG, but recovered degenerative changes in 100 $mu$M EGCG.