Serving a community with growing needs for specialized cancer expertise, Karla Olmedo, M.D., is a rising star in hematology-oncology — the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancers that develop in the blood and bone marrow.
Dr. Olmedo practices at City of Hope’s Long Beach Elm and Long Beach Worsham locations, part of one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States. City of Hope is recognized among the Top 5 in the nation for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report.
Driven by the pursuit of advances in immunology and cell therapy, Dr. Olmedo is part of a team bringing new hope to patients and their families through advanced clinical care and leading-edge cancer research.
Successfully treating these complex diseases comes with decades of singular, unwavering focus. And nobody in Long Beach researches, treats and cures cancer — and only cancer — like City of Hope.
“Immunotherapies, which enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, are options for a growing range of patients,” says Dr. Olmedo. “For those with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, it is vital to have an individualized treatment plan implemented by a team of cancer-focused specialists with expertise in immunotherapy and other innovative approaches.”
City of Hope is at the forefront of advanced immunotherapies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. Using this approach, immune cells are taken from a patient’s bloodstream, reprogrammed to recognize and attack a specific protein found in cancer cells, then reintroduced into the patient’s system, where they get to work destroying targeted tumor cells. City of Hope has one of the most comprehensive CAR T cell research and treatment programs in the world.
Dr. Olmedo is equally interested in ensuring care is equitably delivered. As a Spanish-speaking physician, she is a leader in serving and providing vital cancer education and treatment to the Latino community.
“Understanding the unique cultural aspects of Long Beach is key to helping patients in our community transcend barriers to advanced cancer care, and City of Hope has made equitable access across the continuum of care a top priority,” says Dr. Olmedo. “I want my patients to feel at ease, knowing that they will be receiving the best care.”
A national leader in the treatment and research of blood cancers, City of Hope has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as “high performing” in the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
In the hands of the nation’s leading physicians, scientists, and researchers, cancer loses and life wins.
Top five ranked cancer care in the nation, right here in Long Beach. Visit CityofHope.org/OC or call 888-333-HOPE (4673).
