Instructions for Authors

Comprehensive guidance for preparing and submitting manuscripts to the Journal of Cancer Genetics and Biomarkers (JCGB).

• Language: English. Use professional, clear, and inclusive language.
• Font: 12-point Times New Roman or Arial; double-spaced; 1-inch margins.
• Pagination: Continuous page numbers in the footer; line numbers optional but recommended.
• Word limit: 6,000 for original research (excluding references, tables, figures, supplements); 3,500 for rapid communications.
• File naming: “JCGB_[corresponding author surname]_[short title].docx”.

• Article title (≤30 words) without abbreviations.
• Author names (first name, middle initial, last name) with superscripted affiliations.
• Affiliations with department, institution, city, state/province, country.
• Corresponding author contact: mailing address, phone, ORCID, email.
• Short running title (≤60 characters).
• Disclosures summarising conflicts and funding on title page and main manuscript.

• Structured abstract (≤250 words) with headings: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
• Include absolute numbers, effect sizes, and confidence intervals where applicable.
• List 5–12 keywords from recognised vocabularies (MeSH, Cancer.gov Thesaurus).

• Introduction: Contextualise the scientific gap and objectives. Reference recent JCGB articles when relevant.
• Materials and Methods: Provide enough detail for replication; reference standard protocols; describe data preprocessing, statistical tests, software versions.
• Results: Present findings logically with descriptive text and cross-referenced tables/figures. Highlight biomarker performance metrics and validation steps.
• Discussion: Interpret results, compare to existing literature, recognise limitations, discuss translational implications, and outline future work.
• Conclusion: Summarise key takeaways and clinical or research significance.

• Use Vancouver style. Number references sequentially as they appear.
• Include DOI or PMID where available.
• Example formats:
  • Journal: Smith AB, Nguyen T, Patel R, et al. Genomic predictors of immunotherapy response in melanoma. J Cancer Genet Biomark. 2024;18(2):145-159. doi:10.14302/issn.2575-3030.jcgb-24-1002.
  • Book: Brown C. Translational Genomics in Oncology. 3rd ed. Springer; 2023.
  • Dataset: Lee S, Gomez L. Multi-omic atlas of triple-negative breast cancer. Gene Expression Omnibus. 2023. GSE198765.

JCGB champions reproducibility. Provide clear statements under the heading “Data Availability”. Examples:

• “Sequencing data are available in the European Genome-phenome Archive under accession EGAS00001007854.”
• “Code for survival modelling is available at https://github.com/JCGB-lab/biomarker-model under MIT license.”
• “Due to patient privacy, de-identified clinical data are accessible upon reasonable request to the corresponding author with institutional approval.”

• Human studies: Include IRB approval number, consent procedures, and compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
• Animal studies: Cite IACUC approval, ARRIVE guidelines adherence, and animal welfare measures.
• Genomic data governance: Describe adherence to data sovereignty or indigenous genomic consent frameworks when relevant.
• Clinical trials: Provide registry identifiers (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP).
• Conflicts of interest: Use the ICMJE disclosure form. Upload under “Conflicts” in ManuscriptZone.

Submit a concise cover letter (≤500 words) summarising:

• Manuscript title and type.
• Novel contributions and relevance to JCGB audience.
• Highlights of validation, datasets, or translational value.
• Confirmation of exclusive submission (not under review elsewhere).
• Suggested reviewers (3–5) with affiliations and emails; optionally indicate non-preferred reviewers with justification.

• Respond point-by-point to reviewer comments in a separate document.
• Highlight manuscript changes via track changes or coloured text.
• Provide additional analyses or datasets requested if feasible; justify omissions respectfully.
• Maintain anonymity when double-blind review is requested.

• JCGB APC: $2,199 USD, invoiced upon acceptance.
• Waivers up to 25% via the Waiver Program 2025.
• Membership plans offer bundled APC credits: see JCGB Membership.
• Include billing contact and purchase order requirements during submission to avoid delays.

If your manuscript targets an active special issue:

• Note the special issue title in the submission form and cover letter.
• Review the dedicated guidance on the Submit to Special Issue page.
• Expect guest editor involvement in review and thematic positioning.

Last updated: September 2025. JCGB periodically revises these instructions to reflect evolving best practices in cancer genomics publishing.