Information for Authors

JNCCN, an official journal of the NCCN, is a peer-reviewed publication with the vision of furthering the NCCN’s mission by being the primary resource for information on NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines, innovation in translational medicine, and on scientific studies related to oncology health services research, including quality care and value, patient outcomes, and public policy. Therefore, in addition to publishing the hallmark NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®), publishes invited review papers and commentary, and unsolicited manuscripts in several categories. These include high-quality cancer-relevant studies in the areas of health services, outcomes, quality improvement, and policy; case reports (Molecular Insights in Patient Care) in which diagnosis and/or management was informed by molecular findings; and correspondence, with a focus on clinical information and applications of the NCCN Guidelines® in everyday practice. Appropriate topics include the full cancer care continuum: prevention, detection, treatment, supportive care, and survivorship

Authors are encouraged to contact the editorial office (phone: 215-690-0235; fax: 215-690-0283; e-mail: jnccn@nccn.org) with any questions regarding topic selection or manuscript development. Topic queries can also be submitted online through the JNCCN Editorial Manager system.

 

Manuscript Submission Requirements

These guidelines are in accordance with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors "Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (ICMJE Recommendations).”

Author Agreement

Authors are required to complete the Author Agreement, provided through the JNCCN Editorial Manager system, specifying (1) the intent of submitting the work for publication in JNCCN; (2) that the article is original and has not been previously published or is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere*; (3) that all listed authors worked substantively on the manuscript AND that anyone who provided substantive work for the manuscript is listed as an author; and (4) that all authors are able to solely assign copyright privileges to JNCCN (unless a government employee).

Changes made to authorship after approval of submitted manuscript must be confirmed in writing by all contributing authors.

Please note: “ghostwriting” is strictly and expressly disallowed. JNCCN’s policy is to consider only manuscripts that have not been published previously and are not duplicate submissions. However, reports following presentation at a conference or meeting will be considered for publication; please include title, full date range, and location of conference/meeting.

 

Conflicts of Interest, Funding, and Copyight

JNCCN requires that all authors disclose any relationships with organizations or industry that could be viewed as potential conflicts of interest, including personal, academic, or financial, in the Author Agreement. Authors whose manuscripts are accepted will be required to complete a formal financial disclosure form. Financial relationships include those they may have with companies whose products or competitors’ products are discussed in the submitted manuscript, in which they hold equity, or for which they have served as a paid consultant.

JNCCN requires that all authors disclose any sources of funding for the material submitted. Editors may request that authors of a study sponsored by a funder with a proprietary or financial interest in the outcome sign a statement, such as “I had full access to all of the data in this study and I take complete responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.”

Authors of accepted manuscripts must transfer copyright to JNCCN, unless copyright is not legally transferable, such as for authors who were employees of the US federal government when the work was conducted and prepared for publication. Copyright transfer forms will be provided to authors upon acceptance for publication.

 

Classifications

Corresponding authors will be required to select at least two professional classifications describing area of specialty and/or interest.

 

Title Page

Authors are required to submit a title page as a separate file along with the following information:

  • A concise, specific title of 130 characters or less (note: JNCCN reserves the right to edit titles as necessary)
  • A brief running head (maximum 40 characters)
  • Full names of all contributing authors, including academic degrees and affiliations (note: If an author’s affiliation changes between submission and publication, it is JNCCN’s practice to list the affiliation at the time of writing with a footnote stating the new affiliation.)
  • Name, full mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the corresponding author
  • For Original Research Only: Specific contributions to the study and/or manuscript of each author should be listed

 

Types of Submissions

Original Health Services Research

JNCCN is seeking high-quality cancer-relevant studies in the areas of health services, outcomes, quality improvement, and policy. Original research can include intervention studies, studies of screening and diagnostic tests, cohort studies, cost-effectiveness analyses, case-control studies, and surveys with high response rates. Original research appropriate for JNCCN will be translational or applied and/or focused on practical clinical issues, including NCCN Guidelines application in practice.

Information on manuscript preparation can be obtained at icmje.org/. Information about acceptable preparation of manuscripts on industry-funded studies can be obtained at annals.org.

Abstract Type Word Limit Title Character Limit Manuscript Maximum Word Limit Maximum References Other Requirements
Structured 300 130 2,750 75 All figures and tables should be editable and submitted as separate files (not embedded).

Contributions to research and/or manuscript by all authors should be listed on Title Page

 

Molecular Insights in Patient Care (Case Reports)

JNCCN is seeking (and will only publish) case reports in which a molecular finding informed management, particularly treatment. These case reports should also include guidance on how to create the needed evidence base for transporting the observation more broadly.

Abstract Type Word Limit Title Character Limit Manuscript Maximum Word Limit Maximum References Other Requirements
Structured or Unstructured 300 130 2,000 75 All figures and tables should be editable and submitted as separate files (not embedded).

 

Invited Reviews

JNCCN does not consider uninvited review articles for publication. However, each issue features at least one invited review article that is intended to serve as a complement to the NCCN Guidelines that are highlighted in that issue.

Abstract Type Word Limit Title Character Limit Manuscript Maximum Word Limit Maximum References Other Requirements
Unstructured 300 130 2,750 75 All figures and tables should be editable and submitted as separate files (not embedded).

 

Special Features

Occasionally the submission of an article addressing a timely and important topic, which does not fit into the categories of Original Research, Molecular Insights in Patient Care, or Commentaries, will be considered for publication. Please note that Special Features represent an exception to the established editorial model and therefore must examine a topic of great significance in the oncology sphere to be accepted.

Abstract Type Word Limit Title Character Limit Manuscript Maximum Word Limit Maximum References Other Requirements
Unstructured 300 130 2,750 75 All figures and tables should be editable and submitted as separate files (not embedded).

 

Commentary (“The Last Word”)

The Last Word, which always appears at the end of each issue, is intended to serve as a forum for authors to discuss points of controversy and/or topics of more general interest to practitioners. Authors are encouraged to contact the editorial office with questions regarding topic suitability.

Abstract Type Title Character Limit Manuscript Maximum Word Limit Maximum References Other Requirements
None 130 1,500 10 Biosketch and Small Photo (“Head Shot”)

 

Correspondence

JNCCN welcomes comments, questions, or criticisms about published articles in the form of correspondence. Authors of articles discussed will be given an opportunity to respond. All correspondence and responses are subject to editing. The editors reserve the right not to publish correspondence at their discretion.

Maximum Number of Authors Manuscript Maximum Word Limit Maximum References Other Requirements
4 400 5 Full names, degrees, affiliations, and email addresses for all authors

 

Manuscript Preparation

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the JNCCN Editorial Manager system. Any questions may be e-mailed via the system or directed to the Editorial Office at jnccn@nccn.org.

Note: In order to facilitate a blinded peer-review process, please do not include any identifying information in the manuscript file (eg, author names, affiliations, corresponding author details, funding information, acknowledgments). This information should be submitted through the Author Agreement, Title Page, and as a separate acknowledgments file.

Titles

Titles should be specific and concise, and no more than 200 characters. Use of abbreviations in titles is discouraged; only those that are commonly used and understood will be considered, but must be expanded in the abstract. JNCCN reserves the right to edit titles as necessary.

Abstracts

All articles (except commentaries) should include a brief abstract for use in indexing. Abstracts should be a maximum of 300 words in length and present an accurate overview of the manuscript. Abstracts should be in active, not passive, voice and should succinctly summarize what the article will be addressing. Abstracts should not contain references or footnotes, and should avoid the use of jargon and acronyms when possible. Abbreviations are discouraged unless for a lengthy phrase used more than once within the abstract. Please note that the abstract will appear in PubMed.

Structured abstracts must be used for Original Health Services Research articles, and can be used for Molecular Insights in Patient Care (case reports). Structured abstracts must contain a variation of the following sections: Background, Patients and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions.

Unstructured abstracts must be used for invited review articles and can be used for Molecular Insights in Patient Care (case reports).

Text

Text should adhere to the American Medical Association Manual of Style for grammar, punctuation, and style.

Manuscripts should be written as concisely as possible and should not exceed the word count limitation set forth above for each manuscript type. Manuscripts that exceed this word count may be returned to the author for length revision and thereafter reviewed by the Editorial Board to determine acceptance for publication. All manuscripts are subject to editing by JNCCN, including for length. Footnotes should be used only in tables and figures, not in text.

Section Headings

Please identify the different heading levels clearly as [H1], [H2], [H3], and so forth. This will help avoid confusion during copyediting.

Examples:

  1. Background
  2. Methods
  3. 2.1 Statistics

    2.2 Patients

    2.3 Nonresponders

    2.4 Responders

  4. Results

Citations

Include in-text citations for all figures and tables. All reference citations should as superscripted, sequential numerals and have a corresponding reference listed in the reference list.

Figures and Tables

Figures and tables must be submitted as separate files. Figures and tables should enhance, not repeat, information in text. All elements should be numbered consecutively as they appear in text and all must be cited at least once.

All abbreviations must be either expanded in table and figure titles, or expanded in a footnote, even if the abbreviation was expanded in text prior to the citation for the table/figure. Abbreviations should appear alphabetically within the legend regardless of the order of appearance in the figure.

Figures can be submitted in black and white or color. All figures should be submitted with legends, which should include expansion of all abbreviations appearing in the figures.

Tables should be created in MS Word rather than a special table-making program or excel, and should be submitted in an editable format (ie, not embedded). They should include a brief title, written in Title Case, that provides a discrete and concise description of the table contents (ie, readers viewing the table alone will understand what it is presenting without having to reference the text). Explanatory information, including expansion of all abbreviations, should be placed in footnotes.

Original electronic figure files, including photographs or scans, must be submitted with the following specifications:

  • Do not embed figures in word files unless they are line drawings. The resolution of images embedded in Word or PowerPoint is generally not acceptable for printing.
  • All indicators or symbols used in the figure, such as arrows, dotted lines, and so forth, should be explained in the legend.
  • All micrographs should list the stain that was used and the original magnification (eg, hematoxylin-eosin, original magnification ×100).

 

Note: Length of tables/figures and page count constraints may result in the need to publish some items as Supplementary Online-Only Material. Readers will be referred to the online material in the print version of the article. The Editorial Office reserves the right to decide which material will be published online-only.

Permissions

Authors are responsible for clearly identifying any non-original or pre-published material and providing the full citation of the original source. Authors are also responsible for obtaining written permission from the original copyright holder (usually the publisher). This should be included with the submission; however, copies of letters requesting permission will be accepted, pending successful follow up. Information originating with the U.S. Government, which is considered public domain and does not require permission for re-use, should be clearly identified as such.

Credit and/or courtesy lines for borrowed tables and figures, or data contained therein, should be included in footnotes. These credit lines must clearly state how and where the material was borrowed from (ie, “data from,” “reproduced from,” “reprinted from”), with complete source information. If permission has been sought and granted by the author, this must be conveyed clearly to the journal office; otherwise, a copy of the original source must be provided so that the journal office can obtain the necessary permission.

Appendices

An appendix contains supplementary information relating to either an entire issue or a particular article that cannot be presented easily as a table or figure and is too central to the article to be placed in a separate publication. Appendices should be cited consecutively in text, just as a table or figure would be cited (eg, Appendix 1).

Please note that the majority of appendices will be published as online-only material (ie, will not appear in the print version). Readers will be referred to the online version of the article to access this supplemental online material.

Acknowledgments

Individuals who have contributed to the manuscript but whose contributions do not justify authorship, such as those who provided technical help or writing or reviewing assistance, can be noted in an acknowledgment. Because readers may infer endorsement of the content, authors should obtain permission to list all persons in an acknowledgment. Acknowledgments should be submitted as a separate file to facilitate the blinded review process.

References

Study results and statements not in common acceptance should be referenced as appropriate. Authors should use original research sources where possible. Avoid over-referencing; specific references to key studies are preferred over exhaustive bibliographies and secondary sources, and more recent and full-length articles are preferred over older articles and abstracts. Reference lists should not exceed the count limitation set forth above for each manuscript type. All references listed should be cited at least once in text and numbered consecutively as cited.

Unpublished data and personal communications are cited in text as “(John Smith, MD, Personal communications)” but are not included in the reference list. Clinical trials should not be included in the reference list, but rather cited in text following the trial mention using the following format: “(ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCTxxxxxxxx)”. Articles in press, proceedings, internet-published references, theses, and government publications are included in the reference list.

Listed references should include the first 4 authors (or first 3 followed by “et al” if more than 4 total authors) and the full title of the cited article, as well as the journal name, year of publication, volume, and full beginning and ending page numbers. Journal titles can be abbreviated per MEDLINE. The end notes style that most closely resembles JNCCN style for references is Blood. For any non–standard-style references, please provide the most complete, comprehensive information so that readers can locate the original source if desired.

 

Examples of common reference types are as follows:

NCCN Guidelines: Gradishar WJ, Anderson BO, Balassanian R, et al. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Breast Cancer. Version 3.2014. Available at: NCCN.org. Accessed December 9, 2014.

Journal article: Bjorkstrand B, Iacobelli S, Hegenbart U, et al. Tandem autologous/reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem-cell transplantation versus autologous transplantation in myeloma: long-term follow-up. J Clin Oncol 2011;29:3016–3022.

Journal supplement article: Dalton WS, Jove R. Drug resistance in multiple myeloma: approaches to circumvention. Semin Oncol 1999;26(Suppl 13):23–27.

Book: Koss LG. Diagnostic Cytology and Its Histopathologic Bases. Philadelphia, PA: JB Lippincott; 1992. (Or, for specific page range: 1992:150–155.)

Book Chapter: Chabner BA, Allegra CJ, Curt GA. Antineoplastic agents. In: Harman JG, Molinoff PB, Ruddon RW, eds. Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 1996:1233–1278.

Government publication: NCI Clinical Announcement, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, February 1999.

Presentation: Owusu C, Tew W, Hardt M, et al. Anemia and functional disability in older adults with cancer. Presented at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting; June 1–5, 2012; Chicago, Illinois.

Abstract:
Schwartz RH, O’Donnell R, Mann L, Baugh J. Adolescents who smoke cigarettes: criteria for addiction, health concerns, and readiness to quit [abstract]. N Engl J Med 1993;147:S417.
Or:
Decensi A, Bonanni B, Guerrieri-Gonzaga A, et al. A randomized 2x2 biomarker trial of low-dose tamoxifen and fenretinide in premenopausal women at-high risk for breast cancer [abstract]. J Clin Oncol 2004;22(Suppl):Abstract 1001.

Online ahead of print: Vinay DS, Ryan EP, Pawelec G, et al. Immune evasion in cancer: mechanistic basis and therapeutic strategies [published online ahead of print March 25, 2015]. Semin Cancer Biol. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2015.03.004.

Online material or Web site: FaCD Online Syndrome Fact Sheet: Cowden Syndrome. Familial Cancer Database Web site. Available at: http://www.familialcancerdatabase.nl/loggedin/syndromedetails.aspx?SyndromeCode=10. Accessed October 13, 2015.