These guidelines are based on ICMJE recommendations.

I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

A. Scope and Eligibility

• IJCCD accepts original research manuscripts related to cancer care delivery
• Manuscripts must report findings that have not been published previously

• Manuscripts must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere

• Pre-clinical studies are NOT accepted

B. Language and Format

• All manuscripts must be submitted in English

• Submit as a single Microsoft Word document

• Font: 12-point (Arial, Helvetica, or Times New Roman)

• Line spacing: Double spacing throughout

• Page margins: Minimum 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides

II. AUTHORSHIP AND CONTRIBUTORS

A. Authorship Criteria

All individuals designated as authors must meet ALL FOUR of the following criteria:

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; OR the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
• Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
• Final approval of the version to be published; AND
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved

B. Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author must:

• Ensure all journal administrative requirements are completed
• Provide details of authorship, ethics committee approval, and clinical trial registration, if applicable
• Ensure all disclosure forms are properly completed
• Be available throughout the submission and peer-review process
• Respond to editorial queries in a timely manner
• Cooperate with post-publication requests for data or additional information

C. ORCID Identification

IJCCD encourages all authors to list their Open Researcher and Contributor Identification (ORCID) numbers

III. MANUSCRIPT STRUCTURE

A. Title Page

The title page must include:

1. Article Title
• Clear, concise, and descriptive
• Should accurately reflect the study content
• Avoid unnecessary abbreviation
2. Author Information (for each author)
• Full name (first name, middle initial, last name)
• Highest academic degree(s)
• Department(s) and institution(s) affiliation
• City, state/province, and country
• ORCID (encouraged)
3. Corresponding Author Details
• Full mailing address
• Telephone number
• Email address
4. Type of Article: Original Research
5. Word Count: Total word count excluding abstract, references, tables, and figures
6. Number of Tables and Figures: Specify the exact number
7. Number of References: Specify the total number

B. Abstract (Required)

• Type: Structured abstract
• Word Limit: 300 words or less
• Structure:

• Introduction: State the context and objectives
• Methods: Describe study design, participants, and analytical approach
• Results: Present main findings with specific effect sizes and statistical significance
• Conclusions: State principal conclusions and clinical implications

• Clinical Trial Registration: Include registration number at the end of the abstract (if applicable)
• Data Repository Information: Include a unique, persistent data set identifier if applicable

C. Take Home Message (Required)

• Provide 2-5 bullet points summarizing key findings for readers
• Placed after the abstract
• Should highlight practical implications and novel contributions

D. Main Body

1. Introduction

• Provide context and background for the study
• State the specific purpose, research objective, or hypothesis
• Cite only directly pertinent references
• Do NOT include data or conclusions from the current work
• Word Limit: No specific limit, but should be concise

2. Methods

a. Ethical Approval Statement (Mandatory for research involving human participants)

• Must include a statement that the research was approved by an independent ethics committee/IRB
• Include the name of the ethics committee and the reference/approval number
• State compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki
• If an exemption is granted, explain the circumstances

b. Clinical Trial Registration (if applicable)

• All clinical trials must be registered prospectively
• Include trial registration number
• Acceptable registries: WHO ICTRP primary registers or ClinicalTrials.gov
• Registration must include all 24 required data fields

c. Selection and Description of Participants

• Clearly describe the selection of participants (patients, controls, healthy individuals)
• Include eligibility and exclusion criteria
• Describe the source population
• Report demographic variables: age, sex/gender, race/ethnicity
• Use correct terminology:
• Sex: for biological factors
• Gender: for identity, psychosocial, or cultural factors

• Justify if the study is limited to an exclusive population

• Use neutral, precise, respectful language

d. Data Collection and Measurements

• Specify primary and secondary outcomes
• Describe methods, equipment (manufacturer name and address), and procedures in sufficient detail for reproduction
• Provide references for established methods
• Describe and justify new or modified methods
• Identify drugs/chemicals by generic name, dose, and route of administration
• Identify scientific names and gene names

e. AI Use Disclosure (if applicable)

• Describe any AI technology used in conducting the study
• Include tool name, version, and prompts where applicable
• Sufficient detail to enable replication

f. Statistical Analysis

• Describe statistical methods in sufficient detail
• Specify statistical software packages and versions used
• Define statistical terms, abbreviations, and symbols
• Distinguish pre-specified from exploratory analyses
• Present confidence intervals alongside P values
• Avoid sole reliance on statistical hypothesis testing

3. Results

• Present results in logical sequence
• Report primary and secondary outcomes
• Provide absolute numbers and derivatives (e.g., percentages)
• Do NOT repeat table/figure data in text
• Emphasize the most important findings
• Separate reporting by demographic variables when relevant
• Use supplementary materials for extensive technical details

4. Discussion

• Briefly summarize the main findings
• Explore mechanisms or explanations
• Emphasize new and important aspects
• Place findings in the context of existing evidence
• State study limitations clearly
• Discuss implications for future research and clinical practice
• Link conclusions to study goals
• Avoid unqualified statements not supported by data
• Distinguish clinical from statistical significance
• Do NOT repeat detailed data from the Results section

5. Conclusion

• Summary of key findings and implications
• Supported by study data
• Avoid overgeneralization

Total Word Limit for Main Body: 3,500 words or less (excluding abstract, figure/table legends, and references)

IV. REQUIRED STATEMENTS

See Journal Policies for more detailed instructions. All manuscripts must include the following statements:

A. Conflict(s) of Interest

• Provide detailed information about all relevant financial interests, activities, relationships, and affiliations. If no conflicts exist, state explicitly: "The authors declare no conflicts of interest."

B. Funding Information

• Report all financial and material support for the research
• Include grant numbers and funding agency names
• Distinguish between direct funding for the work and support for individual author time
• Example format: "This study was funded by [Agency X, Grant #12345]; Dr. [Name]'s time on the work was supported by [Agency Y, Grant #67890]"

C. Ethical Statements

• Must be performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (2024)
• Must include ethics committee name and approval reference number

D. Informed Consent (when applicable)

• State that informed consent was obtained from participants. For identifiable patient information: written consent required and archived. Indicate in the manuscript when informed consent was obtained.

E. Data Availability Statement

• State whether individual participant data will be shared
• Specify what data will be shared
• Indicate when data will be available (start and end dates)
• Explain the access criteria and mechanism
• Include data repository information with unique, persistent identifiers

F. Acknowledgements

• Acknowledge support not covered in the author contributions or funding sections

• Examples: administrative support, technical assistance, writing assistance
• Obtain written permission from acknowledged individuals
• AI Writing Assistance: Disclose any AI use for improving readability and language in this section

G. Declaration of AI Use in Scientific Writing

• Authors using generative AI or AI-assisted technologies must disclose their use
• Limit use to improving readability and language only
• AI should NOT be credited as author or co-author
• AI should NOT be cited as the author
• Authors remain fully responsible for all content
• AI-generated content may be incomplete or inaccurate

H. Author Contributions (Required for ALL authors)

Specify contributions in the following categories:

• Conception and design
• Data collection and assembly
• Data analysis
• Manuscript writing
• Other contributions (specify)
• Statement: "All authors have read and approved the final manuscript."

V. REFERENCES

A. General Guidelines

• Maximum: 50 references
• Use AMA (American Medical Association) style
• Number consecutively in order of first mention in text
• Verify accuracy using PubMed or original sources
• Check that references do not cite retracted articles (except when discussing retractions)

B. AMA Reference Format

Basic Principles:

• Author names: Last name followed by initials (no comma, no periods/spaces between initials)
• Example: "Ursula P. Ellington" becomes "Ellington UP"
• List up to 6 authors; for 7+: list first 3 followed by "et al."
• Article titles: sentence case, no italics
• Journal names: italicized, title case
• Include DOI when available: "doi:10.1093/her/cyt053"
• When DOI included, URL not needed
• For URLs: include access date (e.g., "Accessed September 8, 2022")

Journal Article Format:

Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year Month;Volume(Issue):Page-Page. doi:DOI

Example: Smith JD, Johnson KL, Williams MR. Cancer care delivery improvements in rural settings. J Oncol Pract. 2024 Jan;20(1):45-52. doi:10.1200/JOP.23.00456

In Press Articles:

Designate as "in press" or "forthcoming"

Unpublished Observations:

Cite in text as "unpublished observations" with written permission

Personal Communications:

Avoid unless essential; cite in parentheses in text (not reference list) with written permission

AI-Generated Material: NOT acceptable as primary source

Preprints:

• Clearly indicate "preprint" in citation
• Include DOI and repository name
• Prefer published peer-reviewed version when available

VI. TABLES

A. Submission Format

• May be submitted as separate files or included in the manuscript after references
• Number consecutively in order of first mention
• Each table on a separate page

B. Table Requirements

• Minimum ½ inch (1.27 cm) margins on all sides
• Clear, self-explanatory title
• Column headings: short and clear
• Footnotes: explain all abbreviations and symbols
• Cite each table in text

C. Limits

• Maximum for main text: 6 tables and figures combined. Any additional tables and figures should be added to a supplementary file.

VII. FIGURES

A. Technical Requirements

• Resolution: 300 dpi or higher
• Preferred formats: TIFF, JPEG, EPS, PDF
• Standard formats accepted
• Color encouraged
• May be submitted as separate files or included in the manuscript

B. Figure Requirements

• Number consecutively in order of first mention
• Each figure must have a legend placed at the bottom of the figure
• Figures should be self-explanatory
• Use scale markers for photomicrographs
• Identify staining methods in photomicrographs

C. Clinical/Diagnostic Images

• High-resolution required
• Before-and-after images: same lighting conditions
• For identifying information: obtain written patient consent
• Mask identifying features are inadequately protective; obtain consent

D. Previously Published Figures

• Obtain written permission from the copyright holder
• Acknowledge the original source
• Required regardless of authorship or publisher (except public domain)

E. Limits

• Maximum: 6 tables and figures combined. Any additional tables and figures should be added to a supplementary file.

IX. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A. Cover Letter

Must include:

1. Statement about any redundant or related submissions/publications
2. Financial or other conflicts of interest (if not in manuscript)
3. Authorship statement confirming
• All authors meet authorship criteria
• All authors have read and approved the manuscript
• The manuscript represents honest work
4. Corresponding author contact information
5. Additional helpful information:
• Previous submission history
• Previous reviewer comments and responses
• Concerns raised about the research conducted
• Explanation of manuscript type/format

B. Supplementary Materials

• Submit simultaneously with the main manuscript

• Sent for peer review with the primary manuscript

• May include: extended data tables, additional figures, protocols, statistical analysis plans, datasets

X. ADDITIONAL POLICIES

A. Duplicate Publication

• Prohibited without a clear statement and editor approval
• Related work must be disclosed and referenced
• Provide copies of related materials

B. Preprint Posting

• Allowed but must be disclosed
• Include preprint DOI and repository name
• Update preprint to link to published version
• Choose preprints archives that:
• Identify work as not peer-reviewed
• Require disclosure statements
• Have a commenting/concern reporting mechanism

C. Data Sharing

• For trials enrolling participants after January 1, 2019: data sharing plan required in trial registration
• Data sharing statement required in the manuscript
• Should specify: what data, when available, access criteria, mechanism

D. Corrections and Retractions

• Authors responsible for accuracy
• Corrections published for honest error
• Retractions for serious errors or misconduct
• All versions archived and linked