Article Types	Limits	Details
Original Reports	Figures & Tables: 6 Words: 3000	Primary mode of scientific communication; includes all reports of original research in clinical oncology. [read more]
Review Articles	Figures & Tables: 6 Words: 4000	Describe new developments, summarizes progress or collects published evidence for analysis. [read more]
Comments and Controversies	Figures & Tables: 1 Words: 2000	Address unresolved and timely issues in oncology. [read more]
Correspondence	Words: 750	Letters to the Editor, response from authors or short, freestanding piece. If in response to a JCO article, the letter must be submitted within six weeks of online publication of that article. [read more]
Special Articles	Words: 4000	Articles that are not original reports but rather guidelines, summaries of consensus meetings, or other scholarly communication. [read more]
Art of Oncology	Figures & Tables: 6 Words: 3000	Narratives, poetry, and photo essays that explore the experience of suffering from cancer or caring for people with cancer. [read more]
Editorials	Words: 1500	Provide opinion on an article or subject. [read more]
Oncology Grand Rounds	Words: 2500	Provide a case-based description of patient management. [read more]
Biology of Neoplasia	Words: 4000	Review articles covering the basic science of cancer. [read more]
Understanding the Pathway	Words: 1000	Articulate the salient scientific aspects of selected Original Reports. [read more]
Podcasts	Words: 1500	An audio presentation providing commentary on an article. [read more]
Statistics in Oncology	Words: 4000	The presentation of new methods, examination of controversies and timely reviews for a readership of biostatisticians and scientists. [read more]

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. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Case reports will not be considered.

Instructions for Original Reports:

• Write descriptive but succinct titles.
• Limit abstract length to 275 words.
• Limit body text to 3,000 words (excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables).
• Limit of 6 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 randomized phase II and III clinical trials (see the Protocol section).
• Number and double space all pages.

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 of single agents will be considered, with higher priority given to the following features:

• Has compelling preclinical rationale
• Involves a novel drug class that has not been previously studied in the phase I setting
• Includes pharmacokinetics to determine whether potentially therapeutic blood levels have been achieved, based upon preclinical studies
• Demonstrates tolerability of the drug at the maximum-tolerated dose, preferably associated with inhibition of a relevant pharmacodynamic end point
• Demonstrates that the drug is of sufficient interest to investigators that it has now entered phase II or III testing
• Derivative phase I studies of the same drug, but now investigated in a different schedule compared to what was previously reported, will receive lower priority
• Derivative phase I studies of a new drug of the same class as was previously reported, without compelling evidence of novelty compared to what is known about this drug class, will receive lower priority

Phase I studies of combinations will be considered, with higher priority given to the following features:

• Compelling preclinical rationale for the combination, including inhibition of intersecting pathways
• Involves novel drug classes that have not been previously combined
• Includes pharmacokinetics to determine whether potentially therapeutic blood levels have been achieved for each drug, based upon preclinical studies, and importantly whether an interaction exists between the two agents
• Demonstrates tolerability for the combination at the maximum-tolerated dose, preferably associated with inhibition of a relevant pharmacodynamic end point
• Demonstrates that the combination is of sufficient interest to investigators that it has now entered phase II or III testing
• See "Phase I Studies of Drug Combinations" J Clin Oncol 28:4545-4546, 2010

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 "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.
• Submissions involving biomarkers must be REMARK compliant as established in NCI-EORTC's "Reporting Recommendations for Tumor Marker Prognostic Studies " (J Clin Oncol 23:9067, 2005) with additional information found in an Editorial "Standards for Reporting Prognostic Tumor Marker Studies" (J Clin Oncol 23:9053, 2005)
• Authors submitting research involving multivariable prediction models are encouraged to follow guidelines outlined in the TRIPOD statement.

See also "Translational Oncology: Transforming Cancer Care" J Clin Oncol 25:750, 2007.

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Review Articles

The Editor-in-Chief typically solicits Review Articles. For unsolicited reviews, authors should ascertain the suitability of the topic by sending an inquiry to Stephen A. Cannistra, MD, Editor-in-Chief, at [email protected], prior to submitting. The authors, rather than a representative, should make the inquiry. To justify consideration, a review must provide a scholarly, unbiased, and comprehensive perspective on previously published work in an area of clinical relevance, and must satisfy an unmet need in the medical literature. Manuscripts that are redundant and derivative of previously published reviews, in JCO or elsewhere, will not be considered. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses must adhere to the guidelines provided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses report (PRISMA Statement). Review Articles will be reviewed in the same manner as Original Reports.

Suitability inquiries must contain the following:

• A detailed justification for the review, clearly indicating why it is unique compared to other reviews in the literature.
• All of the authors' conflicts of interest, and assurance that the review does not convey a perception of financial bias that could cause the readership to lose confidence in the work.
• A statement that a systematic review or meta-analysis adheres to the guidelines provided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses report (PRISMA Statement).
• If a meta-analysis, a statement indicating whether it is based upon patient level data (strongly preferred), or summary data (lower priority).

Instructions for Review Articles:

• Limit body text to 4,000 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.
• An Abstract is not required for review articles that provide a general summary or update of a disease area. Such reviews should begin with an Introduction, followed by several Sub-Headings that discuss the relevant literature, followed by a Summary that succinctly describes the most important points for readers to remember. However, an Abstract is required for review articles that represent a formal analysis of data in the literature. This would include Consensus Guidelines manuscripts and those manuscripts representing Systematic Reviews or Meta-Analyses.
• Adhere to the Editors' suggested limit of 150 references (additional references may be published online in an appendix).
• Limit of 6 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.
• Number and double space all pages.

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Comments and Controversies

Comments and Controversies papers should address unresolved and timely issues in oncology. This section should not generally be used to provide commentary on a recently published article in JCO or other journals, in which case a Correspondence submission (Letter to the Editor) would be more appropriate, submitted to the relevant journal that published the original report. Comments and Controversies submissions can involve discussion of new treatment approaches and diagnostic modalities, including disagreement regarding how such approaches should be incorporated into clinical practice or trial design. Issues related to onco-economics are also appropriate to consider. Although the nature of this section lends itself to opinion, ample evidence to support the authors' views must be provided, excessive speculation without supportive evidence must be avoided, and the topic should be of interest to the broad readership of JCO. This section is generally not appropriate for presentation of new data or analyses, which constitutes original research and thus should be submitted as an Original Report to an appropriate journal. It is also not usually appropriate for controversies based upon data presented in abstract form only, since such data may change with longer follow-up and have not yet undergone formal peer review. Comments and Controversies submissions that are felt to be of interest to the Journal are typically sent for external peer review. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Instructions for Comments and Controversies:

• Address unresolved and timely issues in oncology
• Do not include an Abstract
• Limit text to 2000 words
• May contain a total of one table or figure (optional)
• Limited or no subheadings within the body of the manuscript
• Number and double space all pages.

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Correspondence

Correspondence submissions must be no longer than 750 words, no more than 10 references, and no more than a total of 2 figures and tables (combined). The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. If the Correspondence is written in response to a JCO article, it must be submitted within 6 weeks of online publication (i.e., the date that the article appears online, ahead of print) of that article in order to ensure timeliness of content. Under no circumstances will exceptions be made. The Editor-in-Chief may choose to invite the article's authors to write a Correspondence reply. The Correspondence section is not considered to be an appropriate venue for publishing new data without peer review, nor for comments made in response to a previously published Correspondence. In general, correspondences submitted in response to other correspondences previously published in JCO will not be considered.

Instructions for Correspondence:

• Letters in reference to a Journal article must be received within 6 weeks after online publication of the article (i.e., the date that the article appears online, ahead of print).
• Letters in reference to a Journal article must include the actual reference to which the letter refers.
• Limit text to 750 words or fewer, limit of 10 references.
• Provide a succinctly worded title, which differs from the previously published JCO article.
• Include a title page.
• Number and double space all pages.

The Correspondence section should not be used to report manuscript errors. If you believe an error has occurred in a published article, please send an email to [email protected]. Please be sure to include the full citation of the article, identify the location of the error, and if possible, suggest the correction.

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Special Articles

Special Articles are manuscripts whose content and style do not fall under the categories of Original Reports or Review Articles. The submission must be original, be based upon a high level of evidence, have immediate relevance to patient care, and not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Clinical Practice Guidelines are often considered for this article type, assuming they meet the following criteria:

• Clinical practice guidelines must be driven by a high level of evidence and describe novel therapeutic or diagnostic algorithms that are not already well-documented by other organizations or publications. JCO's expectations for such statements are consistent with those of the Institute of Medicine's report on Clinical Practice Guidelines. In addition, substantial overlap with already published guidelines from other organizations/groups will lower the priority of such work for JCO.
• Guidelines committees should be convened by a non-profit, cancer or related health organization that is committed to broad and objective input from recognized experts on the topic.
• The methods used to select committee membership should be explicitly stated.
• Processes for deliberation must be clearly described and be free of bias.
• Funding sources should be clearly stated.
• Proceedings that are solely funded by for-profit entities generally will not be considered.
• Guidelines statements based upon the Delphi method will receive lower priority.

In contrast to Clinical Practice Guidelines, submission of manuscripts that do not have immediate impact on patient care but rather identify gaps in the literature or outline research agendas receive lower priority as Special Articles. Examples in this category would include white papers from task forces or other types of work groups, which are generally not published by JCO. Such manuscripts must be preceded by a presubmission inquiry to the Editor-in-Chief that provides compelling justification for how the work has immediate relevance to clinical practice. In some cases, after discussion with the Editor-in-Chief, such manuscripts may be more appropriate for consideration as a Comments and Controversies article.

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Art of Oncology

Art of Oncology articles focus on the experience of suffering from cancer or of caring for people diagnosed with cancer. Narratives, topical essays, historical vignettes, poems, and photographic essays are all welcome. Art of Oncology articles may describe difficult, challenging, informative, or uplifting patient encounters or clinical experiences, or may instead explore aspects of professional life that are not directly related to patient care. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Prospective authors should consult previously published articles to become familiar with the section's format. Patients, caregivers, and trainees - including oncology fellows - are also encouraged to submit manuscripts for consideration. More information can be found by reading the editorial, "Art of Oncology: New Voices Wanted" (J Clin Oncol 29:3343-3344, 2011).

Instructions for Art of Oncology submissions:

• Limit text to 3,000 words or fewer.
• Include a title page, but not an abstract.
• Number and double space all pages.
• Unless the submission is a photo essay, include no more than a total of 6 figures and tables.
• References are not necessary; if references are included, use no more than 20.
• Poems should be of a length suitable for printing on a single page of JCO—in general, less than 50 lines and 400 words. Multiple poems can be submitted for editorial review at one time. Poems, like other work submitted to JCO, should be original, and not previously published or under consideration elsewhere.
• Upload the manuscript as a MS Word file.
• Art of Oncology submissions containing photographs, video, or similarly identifiable patient information will require explicit consent of the patient or guardian in the form of the attached release prior to acceptance. Click here to download the release form.

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Editorials

The Editor-in-Chief may solicit an Editorial to accompany an accepted manuscript. Editorialists are expected to provide a balanced opinion of the paper in question and must not have conflict of interest that could compromise their objectivity. Any concerns that the editorialist might have regarding conflict of interest should be discussed with the Editor-in-Chief, before the editorial is written. Editorials should be no longer than 1500 words, may contain a total of one table or figure (optional), and should not include an abstract. The Editorial should generally not be divided into subheadings, although on occasion a few subheadings to promote clarity might be permitted at the discretion of the Editor. Opinions stated in Editorials should not be overly speculative and should be supported by facts published in the medical literature. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Editorials are subjected to editing and final approval by the Editor-in-Chief.
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Oncology Grand Rounds

The Oncology Grand Rounds category will describe management approaches relevant to a representative patient case that is derived from the author's own experience. The case, including associated radiographs and histopathology specimens, must be anonymized so as to protect the identity of the patient being presented. A unique aspect of this section is that it will integrate findings of an original report, often published in the same issue of JCO, into the described management approach. This will allow the reader to place the findings of the original report into a practical, real world context, by illustrating how a leading expert in the field might consider using the information contained in the original report to influence clinical practice. The discussion should be data-driven and will be subject to editing and final approval by the Editor-in-Chief. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Oncology Grand Rounds manuscripts are solicited by the Editor-in-Chief; unsolicited submissions to Oncology Grand Rounds will not be considered.
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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 Ingo Mellinghoff, MD usually commissions these manuscripts; however, interested authors may also e-mail a proposal to [email protected]. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. 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) and articles already published in the series (Biology of Neoplasia collection).
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Understanding the Pathway

Associate Editor Ingo Mellinghoff, MD may solicit "Understanding the Pathway" articles to accompany Original Reports. "Understanding the Pathway" (UTP) articles articulate the salient scientific aspects of selected Original Reports to a clinical/translational audience. The goal of a UTP article is to provide a concise description of the underlying pathway or biological process, explain its relevance to the Original Report, and highlight future therapeutic or investigational directions pertaining to the pathway in cancer. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
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Podcasts

The Editor-in-Chief may solicit a Podcast to accompany an accepted manuscript. The podcaster is responsible for writing a script that will serve as the basis for recording the audio presentation. Podcasters are expected to provide a balanced opinion of the paper in question and must not have conflict of interest that could compromise their objectivity. Any concerns that the podcaster might have regarding conflict of interest should be discussed with the Editor-in-Chief before the podcast script is written. The script itself will be recorded by the podcaster. A podcast is an audio-only format, and the script is not intended for print publication. It should be no longer than 1,500 words, should not contain tables or figures, and does not require a reference list. The script is subjected to editing and final approval by the Editor-in-Chief. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
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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, Dr. Paul Frankel, PhD and Alexia Iasonos, PhD and Deputy Editor, Dr. Karla Ballman, PhD, usually commission these manuscripts; however, interested authors may also e-mail proposals to [email protected] for pre-submission review. Acceptance of these articles is contingent upon satisfactory peer review. The submission must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. More information can be found by reading the series introduction "Statistics in Oncology" (J Clin Oncol 26:3668, 2008).
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