Palliative Care in Multiple Myeloma: What It Really Means for Patients and Families 

Joseph Mikhael, MD  

(TGen, City of Hope Cancer Center—Phoenix, AZ, USA) 

Dr. Mikhael is a Professor in the Applied Cancer Research and Drug Discovery Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of the City of Hope Cancer Center. He is also the Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF). He is a consultant hematologist and Director of Myeloma Research at the HonorHealth Research Institute where he conducts phase 1 clinical trials. He just completed a term as Councilor on the American Society of Hematology Executive. He also recently led the ASCO guidelines for multiple myeloma.   

Dr. Mikhael was recently a hematologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona where he served as a Professor at the Mayo College of Medicine, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education, and Deputy Director - Education of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. He has been recognized with numerous awards in education, including being in the Mayo Clinic Resident and Fellow Association Hall of Fame as Educator of the Year. He was also recently named in the Top 100 Doctors in the United States.  

Dr. Mikhael did his initial medical school training in Ottawa, Canada, followed by his Hematology Residency at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. He then did a Multiple Myeloma Fellowship there along with a master’s degree in Education from the University of Toronto. He was on staff at PMH until being recruited to Mayo Clinic in 2008.  

He specializes clinically in plasma cell disorders, namely multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. Dr. Mikhael is currently the principal investigator of many clinical trials, primarily in multiple myeloma. His other clinical research interests also include pharmaco-economics, communication skills, and media relations. He has published more than 150 peer-reviewed articles in these fields. He lectures internationally on a regular basis, is an active member of the IMF’s International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.   

Dr. Mikhael is leading the IMF’s M-Power Project, which seeks to improve the care of African Americans with myeloma. He also spends about twenty percent of his time in the developing world, seeking ways to enhance access to myeloma therapies in underprivileged countries.  

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