The Journal of Cancer Research (JCR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic publishing, scientific integrity, and editorial transparency. Our editorial policies are designed to ensure fairness, ethical compliance, and the publication of high-quality research that contributes to the advancement of oncology worldwide.

1. Editorial Independence:

The editorial decisions of JCR are made independently by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board. Decisions are based solely on the scientific quality, originality, and relevance of a manuscript, without influence from sponsors, institutional affiliations, or personal relationships.

2. Peer Review System:

• The journal follows a double-blind peer review process, where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous.
• At least two independent reviewers are invited for each manuscript.
• Editors ensure that the peer review is fair, unbiased, and completed in a timely manner.
• Final decisions rest with the Editor-in-Chief after considering reviewers’ recommendations.

3. Authorship and Contributions:

• Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study.
• All listed authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission.
• Contributions such as technical support or funding acquisition should be acknowledged separately, not as authorship.

4. Ethical Standards:

• JCR adheres to the ethical principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
• Human and Animal Studies: Research involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki, while animal studies must follow international welfare guidelines.
• Informed Consent: Required for all case studies and clinical reports involving patient data.
• Conflicts of Interest: Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial or personal conflicts that could influence their work.

5. Plagiarism and Research Misconduct:

• All submissions are screened for plagiarism, duplicate submission, and data manipulation.
• Manuscripts with significant ethical concerns will be rejected, and cases of confirmed misconduct will be reported in line with COPE policies.

6. Transparency in Editorial Decisions:

• Authors receive clear, constructive feedback regardless of the editorial decision.
• Appeals are allowed if authors believe a decision was made unfairly. Appeals will be re-evaluated by the Editorial Board.

7. Open Access Policy:

• The Journal of Cancer Research is an open-access journal, making all articles freely available worldwide.
• Authors retain copyright of their work and articles are published under a Creative Commons license.

8. Corrections and Retractions:

• The journal maintains a transparent process for handling corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions when errors or ethical issues are identified.
• Retractions follow COPE guidelines to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

9. Editorial Board Responsibilities:

• Board members are expected to uphold the journal’s mission, assist with peer review, promote ethical publishing, and guide the scientific direction of the journal.
• Editors must avoid handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.

10. Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

• JCR values diversity in its editorial team, reviewer pool, and authorship.
• We encourage submissions from researchers worldwide, including early-career scientists and those from underrepresented regions.

Through these policies, the Journal of Cancer Research seeks to provide a trusted, transparent, and ethical publishing platform that supports innovation and excellence in oncology research.