INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER《国际癌症期刊》投稿须知（官网信息）

Author Guidelines

1. AIMS & SCOPE

The International Journal of Cancer (IJC) (http://www.intjcancer.org) is the official journal of the Union for International Cancer Control—UICC ; it appears twice a month. IJC invites submission of manuscripts under a broad scope of topics relevant to experimental and clinical cancer research and publishes original Research Articles and Short Reports in following categories:

Cancer Epidemiology

Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics

Cancer Therapy and Prevention

Infectious Causes of Cancer

Innovative Tools and Methods

Molecular Cancer Biology

Tumor Immunology and Microenvironment

Tumor Markers and Signatures

IJC also publishes Reviews, Letters to the Editor, and, occasionally, Special Reports consisting of invited articles on general topics relevant to cancer research or public health. IJC does not generally publish Case Reports or Meta-analyses. All types of articles undergo full peer review.

IJC is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and endorses the recommendations issued by COPE and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)1.

2. MANUSCRIPT TYPES

2.1 Research Articles and Short Reports

Full research papers should be as concise as possible, without sacrificing documentation of results. Manuscripts containing pertinent and interesting observations concerning cancer research in general, reports on new observations, or studies that do not warrant publication as a full research article will be considered as Short Reports. Research Articles and Short Reports should fit within the categories as outlined below and meet the standards stated therein.

Manuscripts reporting meta-analyses of previously published data might be considered, but are unlikely to be accepted unless they provide new insight into cancer etiology or prevention that was not previously available.

Comprehensive omics studies in humans (e.g., profiling the genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, etc.) might be considered as well, but generally require functional verification of emerging candidate tumor-driving factors or, in case of novel markers and signatures, validation of those in independent patient cohorts (see “Tumor markers and signatures”).

Novel experimental assays which hold promise for a more general use in the cancer field are welcome. Manuscripts should provide proof-of-principle experiments using primary tumor material or data.

2.1.1 Cancer Epidemiology

Studies in human populations providing evidence that i) agents/exposures/host-factors pose a carcinogenic risk or are protective; ii) attempt to establish their causal role; iii) identify (sub-) populations at greatest risk; and iv) host–environment interactions are welcome. These include molecular cancer epidemiology approaches in which advanced laboratory methods are integrated. Randomized trials, cohort studies, case–control studies, studies of screening and diagnostic tests, and intervention studies will be considered. Each manuscript should clearly state an objective or hypothesis, the design, and methods (including the source of patients or participants with inclusion/exclusion criteria).

If the authors are describing the results of observational studies, meta-analyses, and randomized trials, the corresponding standard reporting guidelines should be followed (see 5.3.5).

2.1.2 Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics

Genetic and epigenetic studies leading to the identification of factors and biochemical pathways relevant for the pathomechanism of the underlying tumor development are particularly welcome. Epigenetic studies describing either DNA methylation, histone modifications or altered nucleosome structures are encouraged. Studies should be linked to mechanistic studies either explaining epigenetic alterations or outlining the consequences of such events.

2.1.3 Cancer Therapy and Prevention

Reports on new advances in cancer therapy in humans are welcome, especially the results of well-designed randomized trials involving novel (specifically including targeted) therapy strategies or those implicating molecular response indicators to classic or novel (targeted) therapeutics. If the authors are describing the results of a randomized controlled trial, we encourage use of the reporting guidelines in describing the study population (see Ann Intern Med 2010; 152: 726-32, doi:10.7326/0003-4819-152-11-201006010-00232) and we also welcome long-term follow-up studies. If the authors are describing the results of observational studies of therapy, the standards applicable in observational studies in epidemiology should be followed (see 5.3.5). IJC generally does not publish Case Reports.

For mechanistic studies on novel therapeutics we highly encourage having a strong in vivo aspect to support the translational potential of the study.

Novel mechanistic insights derived from experimental models and clinical observations on the cancer-preventive potential of chemical and biological agents, drugs, or food components that revealed a beneficial use in human intervention/cancer prevention studies also fit into this section.

2.1.4 Infectious Causes of Cancer

Contributions to this section should cover novel observations on the role of viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections in human cancers. Mechanistic aspects concerning direct or indirect modes of infectious carcinogens will be of particular interest. Gene expression control and functions of viral oncogenes as well as the discovery of new viruses or other infectious pathogens with growth-stimulating properties for infected cells or tissues will be considered. Indirect modes of carcinogenesis by infections are clearly of interest for the journal. Seroepidemiological and immunological studies related to infectious carcinogens will be considered if they present new data or demonstrate novel links between tumors and infections. The development of vaccines directed against tumor-linked infectious agents and their application is also of substantial interest. We also consider submissions on oncolysis by infectious agents.

2.1.5 Innovative Tools and Methods

Manuscripts describing new bioinformatic or experimental tools or methods that are important for cancer research, diagnostics, treatment and/or prevention are welcome if they hold promise of broad application. Software tools, web-servers and resources must be freely accessible for non-commercial users, and bioinformatic methods should be implemented using publicly available software.

2.1.6 Molecular Cancer Biology

Analytical and functional data on tumor cell characterization (in vitro and in vivo) and on tumor-stroma interactions are very welcome; in particular, novel molecular mechanisms of deregulated cancer cell metabolism and growth regulation, functional role of cancer stem cells for tumor development and progression, as well as novel mechanisms of tumor cell interactions with the microenvironment. Confirmatory findings on additional tumor types, stages, or sites without new functional, diagnostic, or therapeutic implications are not within the scope of the journal.

2.1.7 Tumor Immunology and Microenvironment

This section covers novel findings on the immunological relationship between tumor and host, including all aspects of cellular and humoral immunity directed at tumor and associated stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment. Experimental and clinical studies based on in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro analysis will be considered. Particularly welcome are studies on new and improved preventive and therapeutic approaches exploiting innate and adaptive immune effects or mechanisms, such as vaccines, check point blockade, or adoptive cell therapy. The potential relevance of newly identified tumor cell-associated T cell epitopes (self- or neoantigen-derived) should be validated by functional in vivo studies.

2.1.8 Tumor Markers and Signatures

This section covers the area of prognostic, predictive, and diagnostic markers from molecular biology studies. We invite papers that explore the development and application of nucleic acid-based, protein-based, serological, and other approaches that identify biomarkers or signatures linked to cancer. Generally, it is required that those markers and signatures are verified in independent patient cohorts and are compared to currently established markers used for the respective clinical application.

2.2 Reviews

Reviews are primarily commissioned by the editors. Presubmission proposals will be considered, and the editors will then indicate whether the review is of potential interest for the journal.

2.3 Letters to the Editor

Comments on published papers, reports on controversial issues, also including negative data that are of general interest or that contradict commonly accepted concepts or hypotheses, will be considered for publication as Letters to the Editor. In the former case, the editors may invite the authors of the paper being questioned to respond, and both Letters may then be published.

2.4 Special Reports

Special Reports will include papers, normally commissioned by Editors, on general topics including guidelines, policies, tumor classification, cancer diagnostics, treatment, prevention and research.

3. MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

IJC asks authors to ensure that their manuscript meets the journal’s formal requirements as concerns presentation, formatting, and other accompanying documentation upon submission. In the event that papers do not fulfill these formal requirements, the editorial staff will “unsubmit” the manuscript. Authors will be asked to either upload files as needed or correct/revise the paper accordingly. Peer review will not commence until all requirements have been met.

3.1 Manuscript text

All manuscripts should be written in good English and clear phrasing (either British or American spelling). English language editing might be required before the paper is taken into consideration. We strongly suggest that authors who are not native speakers of English have their papers edited before submission. The text file should be in .doc, .docx or .rtf format and start with a title page including short title, full list of authors and affiliations, corresponding author name, affiliation, valid institutional e-mail, and Twitter handles if available, three to five key words, a list of abbreviations used (in alphabetical order), and the appropriate article category. The abbreviations should also be defined the first time they are mentioned in the abstract and text. Research Articles, Special Reports and Short Reports should also include a brief description (max. 75 words) of the “Novelty and Impact” of the work on the title page of the paper. Upon acceptance, this will be edited and presented within the article as “What’s New”. We may publish on our social media platform, and on the “Early View” index, a graphical abstract visually summarizing the main findings of the manuscript. Please feel free to provide a figure to this purpose. The graphical abstract should be different from any other figures already included in the manuscript, and not contain any data items; all content must be in graphical form. Graphical abstracts also have to conform to our standard image rules, as outlined below (see 3.4). All manuscripts except Letters should also contain an unstructured abstract (no sub-headings/sections, maximum 250 words).

3.1.1 Research Articles and Short Reports

Research Articles and Short Reports should follow the IMRAD format (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion). If appropriate, the results and discussion may be written as one section. Acknowledgments and further disclosures (i.e. conflict of interest, data availability statement and, if applicable ethics statement, disclaimer, funding, etc), References, Figure Legends, and Tables follow the body of the text.

Research Articles should not exceed 5,000 words in length (body of the text from Introduction to Discussion/Conclusions) and may contain a maximum of 50 references and 6 tables/figures in total. For Short Reports, these limitations are 2,500 words, 25 references, and 3 tables/figures in total. Please note that page charges are applied to Research Articles which exceed 8 typeset pages (see 8.1).

3.1.2 Reviews

Reviews should not exceed 4,000 words in length (from Introduction to Discussion/Conclusions) and should be limited to a maximum of 6 tables/figures in total. There is no limit on the number of references.

3.1.3 Letters to the Editor

Letters should report the title of the Letter and begin with “Dear editor”. In case it refers to a published paper, the title should be “Comments on