Salman Fazal, MD, a hematologist and stem cell transplant specialist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Harrisburg, has been named a 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor, marking his third consecutive year receiving this honor. Only 7 percent of the nation's licensed physicians are selected as Castle Connolly Top Doctors for their specialties in their regions each year. This recognition underscores Dr. Fazal's standing among his peers and his contributions to cancer care in central Pennsylvania.
With over 16 years of experience, Dr. Fazal specializes in treating complex blood cancers, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), and multiple myeloma, with a particular focus on high-risk and relapsed cases. He is an expert in advanced therapies such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, cellular therapies, bispecific antibodies, and targeted treatments, offering hope to patients when conventional options fail. He leads the bispecific therapy program in central Pennsylvania, a cutting-edge approach that harnesses the immune system to fight cancer.
Dr. Fazal's career is marked by leadership and clinical excellence. He served as Director of the Cell Transplantation Program at Allegheny Health Network for nearly a decade, where he transformed a struggling transplant program into one that meets expected survival benchmarks. He has performed nearly 200 allogeneic transplants, established a long-term follow-up clinic for transplant patients, and facilitated access to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) clinical trials. His oversight contributed to successful FACT accreditation inspections over nine years, ensuring high standards of care.
His commitment to education and research is equally notable. He was named Teaching Faculty of the Year (2018-2019) by the Hematology Oncology Fellowship at Allegheny Health Network and has served as an assistant professor at Temple University and Drexel University. His research has been published in leading medical journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Blood, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In 2025, he was honored as an "MPN Hero" and serves as a medical advisor and board member for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Chapter.
Dr. Fazal's approach to patient care is rooted in compassion. He says, "Expertise matters, but compassion is what truly defines care — and it shapes how I practice every day." His practice offers flexible consultation options, including in-person visits and virtual telemedicine, improving access for patients. To learn more about Castle Connolly Top Doctors, visit castleconnolly.com.
