Jim Omel, MD

Jim Omel, MD is a retired Family Practice physician who was diagnosed with myeloma in 1997. His cancer was initially treated with VAD and radiation. At relapse in 2000 he had an ASCT, retired from active medical practice, and began a new role as a cancer research advocate. Relapses in 2006 and 2010 were treated with local bone irradiation, the IMID Lenalidomide and Proteosome Inhibitor Bortezomide. His experience includes 14 months of ONJ with exposed mandible, caused by bisphosphonate therapy.

Dr. Omel’s advocacy has included the NCI Myeloma Steering Committee, peer review and the NCI Director’s Board of Scientific Advisors, FDA Patient Representative, Alliance Cooperative Group Myeloma and Transplant Committees, CIBMTR, ASCO (CancerLinQ, Platelet Task Force, Clinical Pathways Task Force, and Bisphosphonates in Myeloma Review Panel), NCCN Myeloma Guidelines reviewer, LLS First Connection, Takeda Oncology’s INSIGHT clinical trial Steering Committee and PLC (patient leadership council), Celgene’s Connect MM Steering Committee, and 20 years leading the Central Nebraska Myeloma Support Group. He has served as an external advisor to research projects at St. Louis Washington Univ, FHCRC in Seattle, Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, and Blood Cancer Network Ireland.

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ASH 2019: Summary, Thoughts, and Impressions

Jim Omel |

The entryway at #ASH19 Each ASH annual meeting has its own ‘flavor’ and emphasis regarding myeloma. I’ve been to several and remember the excitement of ASH2015 after our unprecedented elotuzumab, daratumumab, Ninlaro, “November to Remember.” Last year the emphasis was on early immunotherapy with BiTEs, CAR-T, and ADCs (antibody drug conjugates). This year ASH2019 was […]

Immunotherapy at #ASH19

Jim Omel |

Immunotherapy has definitely been the center of myeloma attention at ASH. Sessions on Bi-specific T-cell Engagers and CAR-T were many and were well attended. Several Chinese oral abstract presentations Monday morning were inspiring and promising. Deepu Madduri, MD, showed a waterfall plot with 100% response rate in a phase I/phase II study of JNJ4528 BCMA-Targeted CAR-T cell […]

Selinexor at ASH 2019

Jim Omel |

Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM) patients often face difficult and diminishing treatment options. We have effective immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), proteasome inhibitors (PIs,) and monoclonal antibodies ( (MoAbs), but what do patients do when these drugs lose effect? New immunotherapies such as CAR-T and BiTEs help patients late in their disease if they meet inclusion criteria. Also, clinical trials […]

Looking Ahead to ASH 2019

Jim Omel |

For over six decades, ASH’s annual meeting has served as the world’s premier source of information and scientific exchange in all aspects of hematology.  Always held the first week in December, this year’s meeting will occur in Orlando where ~30,000 people are expected to attend. Just as it has for many years the IMF will […]