The 5'-deoxy-5'-iodo-substituted analogs of adenosine and inosine are cytotoxic to tumor cells that have high activities of 5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase and purine nucleoside phosphorylase, respectively (Savarese, T.M., Chu, S-H., Chu, M.Y., and Parks, R. E., Jr. (1984) Biochem. Pharmacol.