The invention provides compounds which contain or are capable of producing a methylol molecule in an aqueous environment, for use in inducing apoptotic death of a neoplastic cell, inhibiting growth of an autologous neoplastic cell in a mammal, inhibiting growth of a drug resistant neoplastic cell in a mammal, killing a neoplastic cell in a mammal, and purging a population of bone marrow cells of neoplastic cells ex vivo.