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MANUSCRIPT CATEGORIES
| Section |
Description |
Word Limit |
Miscellaneous Considerations |
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| Original Reports |
Primary mode of scientific communication; includes all reports of original research in clinical oncology |
3,000 |
No more than six figures and tables; CONSORT diagram for studies in which two or more groups are compared; protocol information needed for Phase III reports; no exceptions from word or author limitation; see below for clinical trial and translational oncology submission guidelines (see full details). |
| Review Articles |
Describe new developments, summarizes progress or collects published evidence for analysis. |
4,500 |
Devote half of text to describing studies detailing human impact, marker effect on prognosis, or clinical trials; suggested 150 reference
limit (see full details). |
| Editorials and Comments & Controversies |
Provide opinion on an article or subject. |
1,500 |
Editorials provide commentary on an accompanying article whereas Comments & Controversies are unrelated to a specific article (see full details). |
| Perspectives in Oncology |
Point of view piece from a public figure. |
1,500 |
Contact Daniel G. Haller, MD, before submission (see full details). |
| Special Articles |
Articles that are not original reports but rather guidelines, summaries of consensus meetings, or other scholarly communication. |
Concise as possible |
See full details about consensus statements. |
| Biology of Neoplasia |
Review articles covering the basic science of cancer. |
4,500 |
Contact Consultant Editor Stephen A. Cannistra, MD, before submission (see full details). |
| Diagnosis in Oncology |
Report oncology-specific case reports. |
1,500 |
No abstract or figure legends (see full details). |
| Art of Oncology |
Address issues of communication, ethics and symptom control. |
3,000 |
Review previously published articles for format and substance before submission (see full details). |
| Correspondence |
Letters to the Editor, response from authors or short, freestanding piece |
1,200 |
see full details |
Original Reports
Original Reports are the primary mode of scientific communication in JCO. The Editor-in-Chief and an Associate Editor review all Original
Reports.
Selected manuscripts are also reviewed by external peer reviewers, and when required, a biostatistician. Comments offered by external reviewers
are returned
to the author(s) for consideration.
Authors should focus on accuracy, brevity, and clarity in their presentation and avoid lengthy introductions, repetition of data from tables and
figures in
the text, and unfocused discussions. Authors should include extended patient demographic data in a table, not within the text.
Instructions for Original Reports:
- Write descriptive but succinct titles.
- Maximum of 20 authors are allowed.
- Limit abstract length to 250 words.
- Limit body text to 3,000 words (excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables).
- Limit of six total figures and tables, not including figure pieces. Table pieces (such as Table 1a and 1b) are not allowed.
- Label additional figures or tables as "online only" in the legends.
- Include a CONSORT diagram for studies in which two or more groups are compared. This required diagram does not count toward the figure and table limit. See the Statistical Guidelines section.
- Include protocol information for all Phase III clinical trials (see Submission Requirements, Protocol section).
Clinical Trial Submissions:
A clear description of the study design, conduct, and analysis methods used to obtain the results should support the results of clinical trials.
Phase I studies will be considered if they have:
- Interesting clinical responses.
- Unusual toxicity that points to the mechanism of action of the agents.
- Important or novel correlative laboratory studies associated with the trials.
Phase II studies will be considered if they include:
- A clear definition of the primary end point.
- Hypothesized value of the primary end point that justified the planned sample size.
- Discussion of possible weaknesses, such as any comparison to historical controls.
See also "Phase II Trials in Journal of Clinical Oncology" J Clin Oncol 27:3073-3076, 2009.
Translational Oncology Submissions:
If the research results might impact oncology practice within the next few years, presentation of the key findings is critical. Therefore, JCO welcomes novel research submissions from authors who have "one hand on the bench and the other on the patient." Some examples of the types of research that JCO encourages for submission include the following:
- Early phase II and phase III studies that report an unusual clinical response or an unexpected adverse effect that speaks to the mechanism of an action.
- Studies that present novel biomarkers that contribute significantly to the understanding of a drug's effect.
- Biomarkers, with biologic importance, that have been validated as useful clinical tools.
- Preclinical studies that address critical issues and bring insight to complex clinical problems.
See also "Translational Oncology: Transforming Cancer Care" J Clin Oncol 25:750, 2007.
Review Articles
The Editor-in-Chief typically solicits Review Articles. Before submitting an unsolicited Review, authors should ascertain the suitability of the
topic by
sending an inquiry to Daniel G. Haller, MD, Editor-in-Chief, at jco{at}asco.org. The authors, rather than a
representative,
should make the inquiry. The manuscript must present significant new information to justify publication. Review Articles will be reviewed in the
same manner
as Original Reports.
Suitability inquiries must contain the following:
- A detailed explanation of the manuscript concept.
- An outline listing specific clinical or phase trials to be included.
- All of the authors’ conflicts of interest.
Instructions for Review Articles:
- Limit body text to 4,500 words (excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables).
- Devote at least half of the text to describing studies detailing human impact, marker effect on prognosis, or clinical trials.
- Adhere to the Editors’ suggested limit of 150 references (additional references may be published online in an appendix).
Editorials and Comments and
Controversies
The Editor-in-Chief may solicit an Editorial to accompany an accepted manuscript. Authors may submit editorials to the Comments and Controversies
section
that are unrelated to a specific article or related to important research published in another journal. Before submitting unsolicited Comments and
Controversies articles, authors should contact Daniel G. Haller, MD, Editor-in-Chief, at jco{at}asco.org, to
determine the
appropriateness of the topic for JCO. Manuscripts for the Comments and Controversies section are peer reviewed, and should not exceed 1,500
words.
Perspectives in Oncology
These submissions are not connected to a specific article, but are reserved to provide a unique viewpoint to the readership from a public figure.
Before
submitting, authors should contact Daniel G. Haller, MD, Editor-in-Chief, at jco{at}asco.org, to determine the
appropriateness
of the topic for JCO.
Special Articles
Special Articles are manuscripts whose content and style do not fall under the categories of Original Reports or Review Articles. These may
include—but
are not limited to—guidelines, summaries of consensus meetings, and other scholarly communications. Consensus statements must be generated
from an open
scientific meeting.
Summaries of consensus meetings should:
- Present recent changes in a topic and not repeat material that is well-documented.
- Come from an established, high-profile cancer group made up of recognized experts on the topic.
- Include a high level of evidence.
Biology of Neoplasia
Review Articles for the Biology of Neoplasia section address timely topics in the basic science of cancer. Acceptance of these articles is
contingent upon
satisfactory peer review. Associate Editor, Stephen A. Cannistra, MD usually commissions these manuscripts; however, interested authors may also
e-mail a
proposal to cannists{at}asco.org. More information can be found by reading the series introduction “'Cancer
defeated': not
if, but when—introducing the Biology of Neoplasia series” (J Clin Oncol 15:3297-3298, 1997).
Diagnosis in Oncology (Case Reports)
JCO invites case reports with high-resolution images, preferably in color, including x-rays or scans of characteristic or classic
conditions relevant
to oncology, for consideration in the Diagnosis in Oncology section.
All accepted Diagnosis in Oncology will appear in the online version of JCO, which is the journal of record.
Instructions for Diagnosis in Oncology Articles:
- Include a brief overview describing the case and a concise literature review.
- Do not include an abstract.
- Limit text to 1,500 words or fewer.
- Describe figures in the text rather than in separate legends.
- All identifying information of patients, such as names, dates of birth, dates of service, or patient identification codes must be
removed.
- If the case report or the image includes individually identifiable health information, authors must comply with the applicable privacy laws
and obtain
a HIPAA-compliant patient authorization form.
The Art of Oncology
Art of Oncology articles focus on the issues of communication, ethics, and symptom control in the practice of oncology. Authors may want to begin
the paper
with a short case report to illustrate the discussion, and should consult previously published articles to become familiar with their format and
substance.
More information can be found by reading the series introduction “A New Addition to the Journal of Clinical Oncology: The Art of Oncology—When the
Tumor Is Not the Target” (J Clin Oncol 18:3, 2000).
Instructions for Art of Oncology Articles:
- Double space and limit text to 3,000 words or fewer.
- Include a title page, but not an abstract.
- Include no more than a total of six figures and tables, not counting panels within figures.
Correspondence
Correspondence (Letters to the Editor) may respond to a published article or express an opinion in a short, freestanding piece. If the
Correspondence refers
to a published article, the Editor-in-Chief may choose to invite a reply. In rare instances, the Editor-in-Chief considers observations that would
not
qualify as an Original Report or Diagnosis in Oncology submission. However, this section is not meant to skirt the peer-review process; studies
with
scientific merit sufficient enough to warrant publication are considered Original Reports.
All accepted Correspondence will appear in the online version of JCO, which is the journal of record.
Instructions for Correspondence:
- Limit text to 1,200 words or fewer.
- Provide a succinctly worded title, which differs from the previously published JCO article.
- Include a title page.
Statistics in Oncology
Special Articles for the Statistics in Oncology section include the presentation of new methods, examination of controversies and timely reviews
for a
readership of biostatisticians and scientists. Associate Editors, Stephanie Land, PhD, and Judith Abrams, PhD, usually commission these
manuscripts; however,
interested authors may also e-mail proposals to lands{at}asco.org for pre-submission review. Acceptance of these
articles is
contingent upon satisfactory peer review. More information can be found by reading the series introduction “Statistics in Oncology” (J Clin Oncol 26:3668, 2008).
Review Series
In addition to its standard issues, JCO publishes topic-driven review issues on an as needed basis.
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