[JOMOL--immunostimulation and rejection of tumor cells?]

Jomol contains cell wall fragments of the bacterium Nocardia opaca composed of 40% oligopeptides, 40% lipids, 10-15% polysaccharides, and 5-10% peptidoglycans. Technetium labeled--Jomo tech--and Indium-labeled--Jomo in--preparations are used for diagnosing cancer. Jomol is promoted to cure any cancer, except Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and ovarian cancer. It is claimed that Jomol has no side effects, however chills and high fever have been observed. Following initial intensive therapy with daily injections of Jomol, a maintenance therapy is recommended to prevent relapses. One vial of Jomol or Jomo-tech costs 450.--DM. Dr. U. Ehrenfeld, an oral surgeon, developed the aqueous extract of Nocardia opaca and patented it in 1983 under the name of Jomol. Ehrenfeld is promoting Jomo-tech and Jomo-in for qualitative and semi-quantitative cancer diagnosis with whole body scintigraphy. The following action of mechanisms of Jomol are claimed: 1. Unspecific stimulation of cellular immune mechanisms, 2. xenogenization of tumor cells towards a bacterial surface by adhesion of Jomol and then attraction and activation of macrophages. Despite the positive claims of the promoters the preclinical and clinical investigations are insufficient or missing, therefore a routine treatment of malignancies with Jomol is not justified except in study protocols. Jomol is not registered at the Intercantonal Office for Drug Control in Switzerland and is not approved by the Public Health Department in Germany and is not reimbursed by most of the state health insurances.