Dr. Salem is a Consultant in Radiation Oncology at Khalidi Medical Plaza/ Afia Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Oncology Centre (Jordan) and an Honarary Senior Clinical Lecturer (equivalent rank in US is associate professor) in Cancer Research at the University of Manchester. Clinically specializing in radiation oncology, Dr. Salem’s research focuses on lung cancer, proton radiotherapy, MR Linac, novel trials, biomarkers and hypoxia. Dr. Salem has completed training in radiation oncology at King Hussein Cancer Centre (Amman, Jordan) in 2014, attaining fellowships and specialty certifications in clinical (FRCR) and radiation oncology (ESTRO fellowship & Jordanian board). Dr. Salem also completed a CRUK/EPSRC funded clinical research fellowship in 2017, attaining a PhD in Medicine (specialization in radiobiology, cancer imaging) from the University of Manchester for research focusing on non-invasive therapeutic lung cancer biomarkers.
Dr. Salem attained specialist registration in the UK in 2017 and worked as a clinical oncology consultant in the Christie hospital until January 2022. Dr. Salem has successfully delivered several world-class clinical/ translational studies in cancer patients, publishing more than 60 peer-reviewed papers and many abstracts, posters and proceedings in eminent oncology conferences. Dr. Salem is a recipient of more than 10 prestigious academic oncology awards such as the ESTRO Accuray Award and the ASTRO International-US annual meeting scientific abstract award. Apart from research, Dr. Salem is a keen educationalist. He is the current director of ESTRO FALCON lung cancer contouring workshops and supervisors a number of Masters and PhD students. Dr. Salem’s career goal is to lead an innovative radiotherapy research portfolio, aiming to deliver survival and quality-of-life improvements for cancer patients.
Qualifications
- PhD in Medicine (University of Manchester, UK)- 2017
- PGCert in Medical Education (University of Dundee, UK)- 2017
- Fellowship of Higher Educational Academy (FHEA)- 2016
- Fellow of Royal College of Radiologists- Clinical Oncology (FRCR)- 2015
- Fellow of the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (FESTRO)- 2014
- Jordan Board of Radiation Oncology (Board-certified radiation oncologist)- 2014
- Masters of Science (MSc) in Oncology (Newcastle University, UK)- 2013
- MB ChB in Medicine and Surgery (Cairo, Egypt)- 2005
Research outputs
- Dissertations
- PhD dissertation: “Validating non-invasive therapeutic lung cancer biomarkers”
- MSc dissertation: “Comparison between combined photon-electron, photon-only and electron-only plans in the supraclavicular irradiation of breast cancer patients: A dosimetric study”
- Selected recent peer reviewed published articles (out of n=60)
- h-index = 17, 10-index = 28
2022
Saha A, Dickinson P, Shrimali RJ, Salem A, Agarwal A. Is thoracic radiotherapy an absolute contraindication for treatment of lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease? A systematic review. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). In Press.
Abravan A, Salem A, Price G, Faivre-Finn C, van Herk M. Effect of systemic inflammation biomarkers on overall survival after lung cancer radiotherapy: a single-center large-cohort study. Acta Oncol. 2022 Jan 3;1-9.
2021
Burnet NG, Mee T, Gaito S, Kirkby NF, Aitkenhead AH, Anandadas CN, Aznar MC, Barraclough LH, Borst G, Charlwood FC, Clarke M, Colaco RJ, Crellin AM, Defourney NN, Hague CJ, Harris M, Henthorn NT, Hopkins KI, Hwang E, Ingram SP, Kirkby KJ, Lee LW, Lines D, Lingard Z, Lowe M, Mackay RI, McBain CA, Merchant MJ, Noble DJ, Pan S, Price JM, Radhakrishna G, Reboredo-Gil D, Salem A, Sashidharan S, Sitch P, Smith E, Smith EAK, Taylor MJ, Thomson DJ, Thorp NJ, Underwood TSA, Warmenhoven JW, Wylie JP, Whitfield GA. Estimating the percentage of patients who might benefit from Proton Beam Therapy instead of X-ray radiotherapy. Br J Radiol. In press.
Crockett C, Salem A, Thippu Jayaprakash K. Shooting the star: mitigating respiratory motion in lung cancer radiotherapy. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2021 Dec 7;S0936-6555(21)00436-2.Tang C, Mistry H, Bayman N, Chan C, Cobben D, Faivre-Finn C, Harris M, Kennedy J, Pemberton L, Price G, Sheikh H, Woolf D, Coote J, Salem A. Outcomes of curative-intent radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Radiother Oncol. 2021 Feb. 2021 Jul;160:78-81.
Hunter B, Crockett C, Faivre-Finn C, Hiley C, Salem A. Re-Irradiation of Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Semin Radiat Oncol. 2021 Apr;31(2):124-132.
Rulach R, Ball D, Chua K, Dahele M, De Ruysscher D, Franks K, Gomez D, Guckenberger M, Hanna G, Louie A, Moghanaki D, Palma D, Peedell C, Salem A, Siva S, Videtic G, Chalmers A, Harrow S. An international expert survey on the indications and practice of radical thoracic reirradiation for non-small cell lung cancer. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2021 Jan 20;6(2):100653.
2020
Walls GM, Oughton JB, Chalmers AJ, Brown S, Collinson F, Forster MD, Franks KN, Gilbert A, Hanna GG, Hannaway N, Harrow S, Haswell T, Hiley CT, Hinsley S, Krebs M, Murden G, Phillip R, Ryan AJ, Salem A, Sebag-Montefoire D, Shaw P, Twelves CJ, Walker C, Young RJ, Faivre-Finn C, Greystoke A. CONCORDE: A phase I platform study of novel agents in combination with conventional radiotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer. Clin Transl Radiat Oncol. 2020 Nov;25:61-66.
Liao Z, Rivin Del Campo E, Salem A, Pang Q, Liu H, Lopez Guerra JL. Optimizing lung cancer radiation treatment worldwide in COVID-19 outbreak. Lung Cancer. 2020 Aug;146:230-235.
Iqbal MS, Hothi A, Evans ES, Gilson D, Laws K, Saleem W, Salem A, Soh FY, Woolf D, Radhakrishna G. An Evaluation Report on Radiotherapy Contouring Workshops During the Royal College of Radiologists’ Annual Meeting 2018. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2020 Apr;32(4):276.
Cacicedo A, Navarro-Martin A, Gonzalez-Larragan S, Salem A, De Bari B, Dahele M. Systematic review of educational interventions to improve contouring in radiotherapy. Radiother Oncol. 2020 Mar;144:86-92.
2019
Shehadeh A, Ja’afar A, Isleem U, Hamad A, Salem A. Shoulder girdle resection: surgical technique modification and introduction of a new classification system. World J Surg Oncol. 2019 Jun 18;17(1):107.
Salem A, Little RA, Babur M, Featherstone AK, Peset I, Cheung S, Watson Y, Latif A, Tessyman V, Mistry H, Ashton G, Behan C, Matthews JC, Asselin MC, Bristow RG, Jackson A, Williams KJ, Parker GJM, Faivre-Finn C, O’Connor JPB. Oxygen-enhanced MRI identifies, quantifies and maps therapy-induced change in lung cancer hypoxia. Clin Cancer Res. 2019 Jul 1;25(13):3818-3829.
Impact factor = 12.53 (featured as an issue highlight, presented as an award lecture at the premier
European radiation oncology conference; ESTRO 2018)
Manoharan P, Salem A*, Mistry H, Gornall M, Harden S, Julyan P, Locke I, McAleese J, McMenemin R, Mohammed N, Snee M, Woods S, Westwood T, Faivre-Finn C. [18F]fludeoxyglucose PET/CT in small-cell lung cancer: Analysis of the Concurrent Once-daily VErsus twice-daily RadioTherapy (CONVERT) randomized controlled trial. J Thorac Oncol. 2019 Jul;14(7):1296-1305.
*Joint first authorship (equal contribution)
Impact factor = 15.61 (presented as an oral presentation with an invited discussant in the premier worldwide thoracic oncology conference; IASLC WCLC 2018 with widespread interest)
2018
Salem A, Mistry H, Hatton M, Locke I, Monnet I, Blackhall F, Faivre-Finn C. Association of Chemoradiotherapy With Outcomes Among Patients With Stage I to II vs Stage III Small Cell Lung Cancer: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2018 Dec 6. Impact factor = 31.78 (presented as an oral presentation with an invited discussant in Europe’s premier thoracic oncology conference; European Lung Cancer Congress 2017)This paper was integrated into two international lung cancer clinical practice guidelines (ESMO and ASTRO) and was published with an invited editor’s note: West HJ. Moving Beyond Limited and Extensive Staging of Small Cell Lung Cancer. JAMA oncology. 2019 Mar 1;5(3):e185187-.
Salem A, Asselin MC, Reymen B, Jackson A, Lambin P, O’Connor JPB, West CML, Faivre-Finn C. Targeting hypoxia to improve non-small cell lung cancer outcome. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018 Jan; 110(1):14-30. Impact factor = 13.51 (140 citations in 48 months)Published with an invited editorial: Lin SH, Koong AC. Breathing New Life Into Hypoxia-Targeted Therapies for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018 Jan 1;110(1):1-2.
2017
Bainbridge H, Salem A, Tijssen RHN, Dubec M, Wetscherek A, Van Es C, Belderbos J, Faivre-Finn C, McDonald F. On behalf of the lung tumour site group of the international Atlantic MR-Linac Consortium. Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Precision Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2017;6(6):689-707.
Geara FB, Bulbul M, Khauli RB, Andraos TY, Abboud M, Al Mousa A, Sarhan N, Salem A, Ghatasheh H, Alnsour A, Ayoub Z, Gheida IA, Charafeddine M, Shahait M, Shamseddine A, Gheida RA, Khader J. Nadir PSA is a strong predictor of treatment outcome in intermediate and high risk localized prostate cancer patients treated by definitive external beam radiotherapy and androgen deprivation. Radiat Oncol. 2017 Sep 7;12(1):149.
Mohamad M, Salem A, Abu Hejleh T, Wadi-Ramahi S, Qandeel M, El Khatib S, Asha A, Mhied S, Al-Saraireh O, Al-Gargaz W, Abdulelah H, Hosni A, Al Mousa A. Peer-assisted learning: Intensity modulated radiotherapy transition in developing countries. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2017 Oct;29(10):689-695.
Al Mousa A, Abu-Hijlih R, Salem A, Sultan I, Ismael T, Al-Jumaili O, Mula-Hussain L, Hirmas N, Mohamad I. Induction methotrexate, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (MPF) versus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (PF) followed by radiotherapy in pediatric nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A retrospective analysis in a tertiary cancer center. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2017 Nov;39(8):e437-e442.
2016
Salem A, Bayman N. Multidisciplinary team (MDT) service redesign: A step to improved quality of care for lung cancer patients. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2016 Dec;28(12):800-801.
Rejeeth C, Salem A. Novel luminescent silica nanoparticles (LSN): p53 gene delivery system in breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2016 Mar;68(3):305-15.
Salem A, O’Connor J. Assessment of angiogenesis with MRI: DCE-MRI and beyond. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2016 Feb;24(1):45-56.
Shehadeh AM, Abed El Al S, Ja’far A, Salem A, Abo Shahin I, Albtoush OM. A modified decompression and bone graft technique for the treatment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head. J Musculoskelet Res. 2016;19(1):16500051-8.
Selected awards, academic prizes, distinctions and scholarships
University of Manchester Clinical Presidential Research Fellowship: Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health (2019)
Nominated for Outstanding contribution to Research Award (2018 6th Annual Greater Manchester Clinical Research Awards)
ESTRO-Accuray award 2018, European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology 37 annual meeting
UCL Scholarship for Exceptional Applicants (2013)
ASTRO International-US Annual Meeting Scientific Abstract Award, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (2011)
Professional advisory/ consultancy work in local/ national/ international arena
Editorial board service: [all in one paragraph]
Scientific Reports
Journal of radiotherapy in practice, I have referred grant proposals, abstracts and awards for [all in one paragraph], Health Research Council of New Zealand, American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Dutch cancer society, European Association for Cancer Research, Swiss National Science Foundation, Royal College of Radiologists, UK, I have referred manuscripts for the following journals: [all in one paragraph], JAMA Oncology, Lung Cancer, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (IJROBP), British Journal of Cancer, Radiotherapy and Oncology, BMC Cancer, Scientific reports, Radiology, The Scientific Pages of Lung Cancer, Molecular Diagnosis and Therapy, Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Clinical Genitourinary Cancer, Urologic oncology, Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics, Journal of Cancer Metastasis and Treatment, Journal of Cancer Therapy, Journal of Thoracic disease, Journal of Solid Tumors, Advances in Cancer Research and Treatment, Oman Medical Journal
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