Dr. Salem is the recipient of many awards from all over the world for his contributions to cancer research. In the early 1970’s he was one of the first researchers to demonstrate that a chronic infection in the intestine may eventually lead to the development of cancer. His work on Immunoproliferative Small Intestinal Disease (a form of intestinal cancer), and the relationship between infection and the development of intestinal cancer has become a classic in modern medicine.
Most recently Dr. Salem has developed a new strategy for the treatment of advanced cancer, which is called ICTriplex. This strategy utilizes the three approaches to cancer therapy, and the combination of Immunotherapy, chemotherapy plus targeted treatment. It has been shown to be extremely effective in the treatment of advanced disease. On the occasion of the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) which was held in Chicago from May 31–June 3, 2024, The ASCO Post, the official publication of ASCO, featured Dr. Salem in its June 3, 2024 edition as one of the leaders in cancer care and research, publishing a long article about his professional life.
Professional Memberships and Recognition
He is an active member of the top three cancer organizations in the world:
- American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
- European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO)
In the last 15 years, he was selected annually in the editions of America’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly. Because of his stature and impact on cancer research, he was invited to serve on the editorial boards of several prestigious cancer research journals.
Contributions Beyond Medicine
Besides his contributions to medicine, Dr. Salem has made major contributions to America. In the early 1990’s he served on a healthcare advisory committee to President Bush the father, and to President Clinton. In 1994 he received the Republican Senatorial Medal of Freedom, and in 1998 he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his “exceptional humanitarian efforts and outstanding contributions to American science”.
In 2006 he was honored as ‘The Scientist of the Year’ by the National Italian Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Culture, and he was decorated in a special ceremony held in Rome, Italy.
Intellectual and Literary Contributions
Dr. Salem is a Renaissance intellectual and writer. He is the author of many editorials on Lebanon and he has published extensively on Arab affairs. In the year 2000, he was awarded the Khalil Gibran International Award by the Arabic Heritage League in Sydney, Australia. In May 2000 he was selected the ‘Arab American of the Year’ by the Arab Community Centre for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) in Dearborn, Michigan. On July 1, 2010 The Lebanese American University in Lebanon bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters for his “contributions to medicine, Arabic literature and philosophy”. For the same reasons, another Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters was bestowed upon him by the Notre Dame University of Lebanon on July 12, 2013.
Books About and By Dr. Salem
Many books have been written about Dr. Salem, and he personally authored another five books:
- 2004: “Philip Salem – The Man, The Homeland, The Science” (Arabic), authored by Peter Indari.
- 2012: “Cancer, Love, and Politics of Hope – The Life and Vision of Philip A. Salem M.D.”, authored by Frances Mourani and Boutros Indari.
- 2013: “Philip Salem the Rebel, the Scientist and the Humanist” (Arabic), authored by Maha Samara.
- 2014: “Philip Salem: By Their Pens”, edited by Assaad Khoury.
- 2014: “The Call for Hope, in the Philosophy of Dr. Philip Salem” (Arabic), authored by Antoine Noujaim.
- 2016: “From the Golgotha of Cancer to the Resurrection of Lebanon”, authored by Dr. Salem.
- 2017: “The Message of Lebanon and Its Meaning” (Arabic), authored by Dr. Salem.
- 2018: “Defeating Cancer – Knowledge Alone is Not Enough”, authored by Dr. Salem.
- 2018: “Philip Salem and the Cancer of Sectarianism” (Arabic), authored by Jean Dayeh.
- 2019: “Knowledge leads you to God” (Arabic), authored by Dr. Salem.
- 2020: “Lebanese Nationalism in the Vision of Philip Salem” (Arabic), authored by Assaad Khoury.
- 2022: “The Philosophy of Rebellion and Revolution” (Arabic), authored by Assaad Khoury.
- 2024: “Philip Salem: The Stance and the Vision” (Arabic), authored by Assaad Khoury.
- 2025: “Philip Salem, A Life Devoted in Defense of Lebanon” (Arabic), authored by Assaad Khoury.
Recent Honors
Most recently, three major honors have been bestowed upon Dr. Salem:
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The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) in Beirut, one of the most prestigious universities in Lebanon, established in July 2024 a Center for Lebanese Political Studies that carries his name. This center focuses on research related to the political life of Lebanon and houses Dr. Salem’s personal library.
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The Lebanese American University (LAU), chartered in New York, decided in July 2025 to name the Center for Lebanese Heritage at the university after Dr. Salem. This center promotes Lebanese heritage both within Lebanon and across the Lebanese diaspora.
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Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Dan Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center decided in August 2025 to name the Philip Salem Conference Center at the Dan Duncan Cancer Center. This conference center, composed of 11 conference rooms, is likely the largest conference space in the Texas Medical Center.
