STUDIO CITY, Calif., Sept. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — It is with great sadness that the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) shares news of the passing of Dr. Robert A. Kyle at age 98 — the Father of Myeloma and a highly-revered expert in the field of myeloma research.
Dr. Kyle has served as a Guest Lecturer and as a Visiting Professor worldwide. He became Chairman of the first IMF Scientific Advisory Board and was also a long-time member of the IMF Board of Directors.
A Professor of Medicine, Laboratory Medicine, and Pathology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, MN, Dr. Kyle served as Section Head prior to becoming Chairman of the Division of Hematology.
He received his MD with Distinction from Northwestern University Medical School and has published over 1,050 articles relating to hematology and oncology, along with more than 1,350 abstracts and editorials.
Dr. Kyle was Chairman of the Myeloma Committee of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group for 12 years, and Secretary-General of the International Society of Hematology (Inter-American Division) for 6 years. He also served as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the International Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF).
Additionally, Dr. Kyle served as the first President of the International Society of Amyloidosis and the International Myeloma Society. He became a member of the Editorial Board of Leukemia, and an honorary member of the Royal Society of Pathologists in London.
Among his numerous accolades, Dr. Kyle is the first recipient of the Waldenström’s Award (2001). He also received the David Karnofsky Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2007); a distinguished ‘Master’ designation from the American College of Physicians; the Wallace H. Coulter Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hematology (2008); the Henry S. Plummer Distinguished Internist, Distinguished Clinician, and Distinguished Alumni awards from Mayo Clinic; lifetime achievement awards from the International Myeloma Foundation and the International Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation; the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award (2013); the John Phillips Award from the American College of Physicians (2015); honorary degrees, and countless invitations for lectureships.
Because of his innumerable achievements and milestones in the field of myeloma, the IMF established the Dr. Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, with Dr. Kyle as its first recipient.
Through this award, the IMF has since been honoring an outstanding physician each year—an individual whose body of work in the field of multiple myeloma has made significant advances in research, treatment, and care of myeloma patients.
Memoirs of a Remarkable Journey
In Dr. Kyle’s memoir, A Physician’s Journey: The Memoir of Robert A. Kyle, M.D. (The Digital Press at The University of North Dakota, 2023), David Steensma, MD, narrated Dr. Kyle’s remarkable and tireless efforts for multiple myeloma patients.
“When Dr. Robert Kyle joined the consulting staff of Mayo Clinic in the summer of 1961, returning to Rochester, Minnesota after two years of specialty training in Boston with prominent hematologist Dr. William Dameshek, there were no effective therapies for multiple myeloma. Most patients died within one to two years of diagnosis, just as in the mid-19th Century when myeloma was first described.”
“Due to Dr. Kyle’s tireless efforts and steady leadership, Mayo Clinic became a leading center for research of multiple myeloma and related plasma cell disorders, and afflicted patients now come from all over the world to Rochester for consultation and treatment. Today, while multiple myeloma is not yet considered curable, patients routinely live almost 10 years after they are diagnosed, and they can be treated with highly effective drug combination regimens — many of which were co-developed by Dr. Kyle or by Mayo physicians trained by him.”
“Dr. Kyle’s career has coincided with a golden age of progress in medicine, as molecular diagnostics and rationally engineered precision therapies supplemented insights obtained from careful clinical description, biochemical assays, and light microscopy. His professional life has also been unusually long. Well into his ninth decade, he continued to travel over 100,000 miles per year to attend scientific conferences and deliver invited lectures. He always was a welcome presence at these meetings, offering not only insights born of long experience and historical perspective but also a needed dose of Mid-western common sense. At age 94 (Editor’s note: Dr. Kyle passed away at age 98), he still encourages and inspires younger physicians, maintains an academic office in one of Mayo’s research buildings, and remains intellectually engaged in the plasma cell disorders research community,” wrote Dr. Steensma.
Dr. Kyle and The International Myeloma Foundation
In his memoir, Dr. Kyle narrated the beginnings of what would become a lifelong relationship with the IMF.
“Not long after the September meeting, I learned that when Brian Novis, a native of South Africa and an executive talent recruiter in Los Angeles, applied for additional life insurance but his blood tests were abnormal — leading to a diagnosis of multiple myeloma. He had never heard of the disease and was shocked to learn that it usually was fatal in two to three years. He also learned that treatment options were limited. He told me later that he had called me for information about multiple myeloma, but I must confess that I do not remember the call. He and his then-fiancée Susie Lavitt also consulted with Dr. Brian Durie, chairman of the Department of Haematology at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, University of London.”
“Soon thereafter, I learned that Brian Novis and Susie founded the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) with the help of Dr. Durie and incorporated it in the state of California. I immediately telephoned Bart and asked if The Myeloma Foundation, Inc., had been incorporated in the state of Arkansas. He said, ‘no,’ so I advised him to become involved with the already incorporated International Myeloma Foundation. Since myeloma was an uncommon disease, I emphasized that we must have only one myeloma foundation. On October 19, 1990, I received a letter from Dr. Durie that outlined the goals of the International Myeloma Foundation.”
Tributes from the International Myeloma Foundation
“Dr. Kyle was a legend in the field of medicine. His contributions to medicine in general, and to the myeloma field are monumental. He has been my role model, and his legacy can be seen in the countless myeloma experts who consider him as their mentor. He led the IMF Scientific Advisory Board for decades and shaped our research agenda. We will always remember him and be influenced by his integrity and commitment to patients,” said IMF Chairperson of the Board Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar.
“Dr. Robert A. Kyle was truly a giant in the field of myeloma. Known around the world as the ‘Father of Myeloma,’ he devoted his remarkable career to bringing greater understanding and attention to a disease that, when he began his work, was little understood. His scientific contributions helped transform how we understand, diagnose, and treat myeloma, but his legacy extends far beyond his research. Dr. Kyle was a trusted mentor, colleague, and friend to generations of myeloma researchers and clinicians, and his wisdom, generosity, and commitment to patients helped shape the global myeloma community we know today. We are deeply saddened by his passing and profoundly grateful for all that he gave to our field. The International Myeloma Foundation is proud to honor his extraordinary legacy through the Dr. Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award and, most importantly, by continuing the work to which he devoted his life: accelerating prevention and cure of myeloma and improving life for patients and families,” said IMF President and CEO Heather Cooper Ortner.
The International Myeloma Foundation and members of the myeloma community honor Dr. Robert A. Kyle, the Father of Myeloma, for his remarkable contributions to the field of myeloma research, and for his relentless efforts in ensuring treatment and care of all myeloma patients. Dr. Kyle’s legacy of service to others will serve as a lifelong beacon for the IMF and the myeloma community at large.
The IMF sends its deepest sympathies, thoughts, and prayers to Dr. Kyle’s family members, friends, colleagues, and loved ones.
ABOUT MULTIPLE MYELOMA
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow plasma cells — white blood cells that make antibodies. A cancerous or malignant plasma cell is called a myeloma cell. Myeloma is called “multiple” because there are frequently multiple patches or areas in bone where it grows. It often involves damage to bone and kidneys. Multiple myeloma is still incurable, but great progress has been made in terms of survival over the last two decades. The disease is twice as common and is diagnosed at a younger age in African Americans than white Americans. The most common presenting symptoms include fatigue and bone pain.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the world’s leading organization dedicated to multiple myeloma. The IMF is steadfast in its mission: accelerating the prevention and cure of myeloma and improving the quality of life for patients and families.
The IMF serves people impacted by myeloma at every stage of the disease by combining world-class research, trusted education, global advocacy, and direct support. A cornerstone of this work is the International Myeloma Working Group® (IMWG)—a network of more than 380 internationally renowned researchers and clinicians who establish the guidelines that shape how myeloma is diagnosed, treated, and managed across the globe.
Through its global network of support groups, educational programs, its 24/7 generative-AI myeloma assistant Myelo®, its InfoLine, and its advocacy for greater healthcare access, the IMF helps people living with myeloma and their care partners navigate diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. At the same time, the IMF ensures scientific advances translate into better care and outcomes.
Learn more at www.myeloma.org or contact the IMF InfoLine at (800) 452-CURE (2873) (U.S. & Canada), +1 (818) 487-7455 (worldwide), or infoline@myeloma.org.
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Media Contacts:
Peter Anton
Panton@myeloma.org
Jason London
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