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Manuscript format and preparation
- Publication categories
- Research articles: Manuscripts which present original study results carried out on any subject matter covered by the Revista. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis are included in this category provided they comply with the rigorous methodology such projects require.
- Review articles: Manuscripts based upon a thorough and critical review of the current bibliography on a given subject; these provide an update on a specific subject or suggest guidelines for new research.
- Clinical cases: The presentation of uncommon clinical cases encountered in daily medical practice which, consequently, provide relevant knowledge useful in decision-making or in determining the direction of research.
- Special articles: As a rule the Revista does not publish essays on a specific topic, however, the Editorial Board may deem it convenient to publish such manuscripts; in which case, a special request shall be extended by the Editorial Board.
- Brief report: A report on the results of a pilot project or those of a minor study or the preliminary results of a major study whose relevance contributes to knowledge of a subject or to the creation of a hypothesis and therefore deserve advance publication.
- Technical notes: A detailed description of an innovative surgical or laboratory procedure or modifications on an established procedure; in which emphasis is given to the advantages of the novel method, its contribution to disease control and how it was developed.
- Letters to the Editor: These should comment on Revista contents or on other issues of interest to readers.
- Manuscript submission
Manuscripts are to be sent electronically through the Elsevier Editorial System (EES) to the following address: http://ees.elsevier.com/rccan, where all requisite submission information is available. This link can be reached on the NCI web page where the submission process can be tracked.
Manuscript text (except title page), abstract, key words, references, tables and figures' foot notes are to be included in the same file. A cover letter, written in the EES "Attach files" section, must accompany the manuscript. Title page and each page containing figures, if included, are to be sent in separate files. All of these documents are to be uploaded in the EES "Attach files" section. Please see general EES instructions for authors at: http://epsupport.elsevier.com/al/12/1/article.aspx?aid=1562&bt=4
- Cover letter
All manuscripts must be accompanied by a cover letter (see section "Author's obligations") which is to be included in the EES "Attach files" section. In addition to the title of the Work, the cover letter must include:
- The section of the Revista in which author wishes Work to be published.
- A statement that the Work is original and is not being evaluated for publication in any other scientific Revista.
- An explanation (maximum one paragraph in length) on the Work's relevance and innovative contribution to the field.
- A statement by the authors assuring that they have taken into account "Ethical Responsibilities" governed by current regulations, including: a) that all research procedures have complied with Ethic Committee's regulations on responsible human or animal experiments (institutional or regional) and those of the World Medical Association and the Declaration of Helsinki; b) that patients' rights to privacy and confidentiality have been guaranteed in accordance with the regulations set forth by the documents described herein; that the article submitted for possible publication contains no identifying data in its text or images; c) that patients' informed consent for study participation and subsequent publication of results in printed and digital (internet) format in the Revista Colombiana de Cancerología has been provided and is in authors' possession and a statement to such has been provided on the pertinent EES form.
- A statement declaring any economic support (monetary or otherwise) that has been received in the course of developing Work.
- A statement confirming that signing authors have complied with authorship requisites (declaring degree of participation is optional) in accordance with regulations listed in "Authorship" section and that a declaration to such has been provided to the EES.
- A statement on whether any part of the article has been published in another Revista (redundant or duplicate publication), in such case details should be specified and declaration made that publication permission has been granted by author and editor of said Revista (see also section on "Guarantees and Granting of Intellectual Property Rights").
- A statement on the part of each author declaring the existence or non-existence of conflict of interest and confirmation of said declaration in the EES section on "Additional Information". Authors may recommend individuals whom they consider qualified to make critical review of the manuscript. Recommended reviewers cannot have been collaborators or coauthors during the previous three years, nor have previously contributed a substantial critique on the manuscript. Recommendations for reviewers may be made in the EES section "Suggest Reviewers".
- Author's Obligations
- Protection of people and animals: When describing experiments carried out on human beings, a statement must be included on whether Ethics Committee (institutional or regional), World Medical Association and Declaration of Helsinki regulations on responsible human experiments were adhered to (available at: http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/index.html). When describing experiments on animals, a statement must indicate whether institutional, international research council or national legal guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were adhered to.
- Confidentiality: Authors are responsible for adhering to established protocols in their respective health care centers regarding access to clinical case data to be used in research/publication for the community; therefore, a statement must be included verifying said compliance. Author is under the obligation to guarantee that full compliance has been made in informing all patients included in the study, and that he/she is in possession of said signed patient documents, in which patients certify their having received sufficient information and their having given informed consent to participate. Authors must mention in article's "Methods" section procedures used in patients and controls carried out once informed consent was granted.
- Privacy: Author is responsible for guaranteeing patients' right to privacy and the protection of their identities in the written text of the article as well as in any accompanying images. Use shall not be made of names, initials or hospital clinical case numbers (nor any other irrelevant research data that would allow for patient identification) neither in the text nor in photographs, unless said information is essential to scientific objectives, in which case such information may be included in the article if patient or his/her parent or guardian grants written informed consent for its publication. Authors are responsible for obtaining written consent in which authorization is granted for publication, reproduction and dissemination in both printed and electronic formats with free internet access.
- Funding: Authors must declare the source of any funding received.
- Authorship: The authors' list shall include only those individuals who have made an intellectual contribution to developing the Work. Assisting in data collection or having participated in a technical aspect are in themselves insufficient cause to be considered an author (See "Acknowledgements"). In general, to be considered an author, the following requisites must be fulfilled:
- Participation in concept and design of the article, as well as in the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of the data in the Work which provided the resulting article.
- Participation in the writing and the possible rewrites of the text.
- Granting approval of the final version to be published. In case of collective authorship, names of the writers or those responsible for the Work followed by "and the Group…." when all members of the group are considered coauthors of the Work. If the name of the group is to be included, although not all members are considered coauthors, the form to be used is to name all responsible authors followed by "in the name of the Group…". In either case, the names and group members' institutions shall be included in an attachment at the end of the manuscript. Authors shall state, on title page as well as in the 'Add/edit/remove author' section, that they have read and approved manuscript and that authorship requisites have been fulfilled. The Revista Colombiana de Cancerología assumes no responsibility for possible authorship conflicts of interest which may result in published Works.
- Conflict of interest: A conflict of interest exists when the author has or has had economic or personal ties that can bias or inappropriately influence his/her actions. Possible conflict of interest exists independently of whether the interested parties consider that said ties do or do not influence their scientific criteria. In the cover letter and in the EES 'Additional Information' section, authors shall describe any financial or personal ties they have or have had with individuals or institutions at the time of writing or submitting the article to be considered for publication that could be the cause of a conflict of interest. Said declaration shall be included in the printed version of the Revista (See, also, 'Acknowledgements').
- Obtaining permission: Authors are responsible for obtaining requisite permission for reproduction of partial material (text, tables or figures) from other publications. Said permission must be requested of both the author and the publisher or of the media which has published said material. Publication permission is required from the institution which has financed research.
- Originality: A statement declaring that the article is original and has not been previously published, nor submitted to be considered for publication elsewhere, either totally or partially, neither have any parts thereof. Non- disclosure of the fact that the article, either totally or partially, has already been published constitutes a grave breach of scientific ethics.
- Redundant or duplicate publication: The Revista does not accept previously published material and shall not consider for publication manuscripts that have been simultaneously submitted to other Journals. Neither shall redundant or duplicate publications be accepted; that is, articles which substantially overlap ones already published (either in printed or electronic media). In cover letter, authors must report any previous submissions or publications of said Work, either partially or totally, which could be considered redundant or duplicate. It is requisite that these previous publications be cited and included in the bibliography of the new manuscript. These restrictions do not apply to published abstracts in announcements, lectures or conferences given at national or international scientific meetings.
- Manuscript Presentation
These guidelines are based upon the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals", published in Ann Intern Med 1997; 126 (1): 36-47, (original version updated at http://www.icmje.org), in accordance with International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Regulations, 5th Edition. Original publication by the Vancouver Group.
- Languages: Articles are published in either Spanish or English.
- Manuscript Cover Page: The non-declarative, concise and descriptive title of the article shall appear on a separate page. Authors shall be included in order of appearance, by name and one surname, under no circumstances shall more than one name be used. If author wishes to include two surnames, these shall appear with a hyphen. Institutional affiliation of each author must be included, along with department and institutional names; no additional information shall be published. Institutional affiliation shall be included in a foot note for each article. Corresponding author must be identified, including name, complete physical address, telephone number and email address to allow communication with Revista's Editorial Board,. Research articles must clearly state sources of funding for said study.
- Key Words: From 3 to 10 key words are to be included, taken from the Spanish Language Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) thesaurus for articles in Spanish and from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) for those in English.
- Abbreviations: Abbreviations, except those for units of measurement (international standards), should be avoided wherever possible. Only well-known acronyms and abbreviations shall be accepted. The initial appearance of an abbreviation shall be accompanied by the words which provide its meaning. By order of appearance, manuscripts shall be made up of the following parts: a) Title page; b) Abstract and key words page; c) Pages of body of article; d) Acknowledgements page; e) Bibliography pages(s); f) Page for each table; g) Page(s) for figures' footnotes. All of these parts, with the exception of the title page, make up one single file. The figures that accompany the manuscript and the title page shall be sent in separate files, also using the EES 'Attach Files' option.
- Content
- Research Articles: Text should have a maximum of 4,000 words. The number of figures and tables should not surpass six.
- Abstract: This must be on a separate page, in Spanish, with a maximum of 250 words. It is to be structured into four parts: objectives, methods, results and conclusions, which, respectively, provide a brief description of the problem dealt with in the study, how study was carried out, the results and the authors' conclusions based upon said results. The Revista shall be responsible for translating abstracts written in Spanish into English.
- Introduction: This sets forth the purposes of the article. Author summarizes the rationale for the study or the observation; strictly cites references; does not include data or conclusions from the Work.
- Methods: Description is made herein of the selective procedure of experimental or observational subjects (patients or laboratory animals, including those for controls). Author identifies subjects' features; methods; devices (manufacturer's name and contact address in parenthesis), and procedures in ample detail so that other researchers may be able to replicate results. Mention is to be made of standard methods, including statistical methods; references of methods and additional descriptions of methods that have been published, but which are not well known, are to be included; new methods or those that have been substantially modified, accompanied by the justifications for their use and an evaluation of their limitations is to be acknowledged. Identification is to be made of all drugs and chemicals used, including generic names, dosage and means of administration. Statistical methods are to be presented in a manner in which a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data may be able to verify the results presented. Whenever possible, discoveries are to be quantified and presented with appropriate calculation or variability errors (such as confidence intervals). Exclusive mention of p values is to be avoided when hypothetical test is examined. Experimental subjects' eligibility is to be discussed. Details on randomization and observational blinding are to be provided. Treatment complications are to be assessed. Number of observations is to be included. Observation loss (clinical trial desertions) are to be enumerated. Study design and statistical methodology references must be taken from recognized works. Computer programs utilized must be identified.
- Results: Results are to be presented in logical sequence within the text, as well as in the statistical charts and illustrations. Data contained in statistical charts and illustrations is not to be repeated in the text; emphasis is to be given only to important observations. Statistical charts and figures are to be restricted exclusively to those needed to explain and support arguments in the Work. Figures (in .jpg or .tiff formats) are to be used as an alternative to statistical charts with large amounts of data; data is not to be duplicated in figures and statistical charts.
- Discussion: This section highlights the study's new and important aspects and the conclusions that have been derived thereof. Data or other material provided in the introduction or in results should be repeated here in detail. Implications of discoveries as well as pertinent limitations and contributions for further research are to be discussed. Relevant observations from other, similar studies should be touched upon. Conclusions reached in relation to the study's objectives should be dealt with, but an effort should be made to avoid unqualified criteria and conclusions that are not completely supported by the data. New hypotheses should be set forth, whenever necessary, but should be clearly mentioned as such.
- Review Articles: Text must not exceed 4,000 words and total number of figures and tables is to be no more than six. This type of article should include at least 50 bibliographical references. One section of the article must describe the procedures used in locating information sources (journals, books, documents, and so forth). Article should include an in-depth assessment of a given topic, with extensive bibliography, analysis and commentaries on other authors' works.
- Abstract: Non-structured with a maximum of 150 words.
- Introduction: The purpose and basis of review are established herein. Ideally, a paragraph is included on the search process, information sources and criteria used in their selection.
- Subject development: Includes a critical analysis of the literature and authors' own data. Tables and figures (.jpg or .tiff formats) that enhance text and provide greater comprehension should be included. Development of subject matter may be developed by sections in accordance with established theme, and broken up into subtitled sections; however, no more than one level of subtitles will be accepted. Said organization must follow a logical order in accordance with the subject being dealt with.
- Conclusions: Includes deliberation which could be considered important to those responsible for making decisions in the field under discussion.
- Clinical Cases: Text must not exceed 2,000 words and total number of figures and tables is to be no more than four. This type of article should include at least 10 bibliographical references.
- Abstract: Non-structured with a maximum of 150 words.
- Introduction: The purpose and basis of review are established herein.
- Description of Clinical Case
- Discussion: Explains ethical concerns and precautions taken to protect patient's confidentiality.
- Brief Report: Must not exceed 1,500 words and 10 bibliographical references. No more that three figures and tables should be included. Structure should follow the following guidelines:
- Abstract: Non-structured with a maximum of 150 words.
- Introduction: The purpose and justification of the report and description of methods used are included herein.
- Development of subject matter
- Conclusions
- Technical Note: Text must not exceed 1,500 words. This type of text provides a detailed description of a novel surgical or laboratory procedure or modifications on a conventional procedure, with emphasis on the advantages brought about by the procedure or innovation that has been developed. Commercial brand names, the mention of health services institutions or companies, or images that in any way favor the commercialization of products or services shall not be accepted. Structure should follow the following guidelines:
- Abstract: Non-structured with a maximum of 150 words.
- Introduction: The purpose and justification are established herein.
- Description of Subject Matter
- Conclusions
- Letters to the Editor: Text must consist of no more than 1,000 words. Letters are to be received within one month following publication of the article referred to.
- References (for all publication categories): These must be typed, double spaced and numbered consecutively in accordance with order in which they have been cited. References cited in illustrations must be numbered to coincide with reference sequence in text. Reference style concurs with that established in Index Medicus. All authors are to be named when there are no more than six; when there are seven or more, the first six are named followed by "et al.". Personal communication, unpublished data and manuscripts "underway" or "submitted for publication" shall not be accepted as references. If inclusion of such material is deemed essential, it should be incorporated into the text in the appropriate section.
- Information incorporated into the article by the Revista: The Revista shall add information on author's obligations acknowledged under EES guidelines, related to: a) ethical responsibilities, specifically on the protection of humans and animals, on confidentiality, right to privacy and informed consent; b) funding; c) authors' scale of participation (optional) and d) each author's declaration on the existence or non-existence of conflict of interest.
- Review Process
Once manuscript has been received, and if it fulfills all the above mentioned requisites, it shall be assigned a registration number. Each manuscript is then sent to the Editorial Board which shall decide upon its importance and relevance. If article is granted initial acceptance, it shall be subject to the approval of a body of academic peers (specialists), in adherence with double-blinded evaluation procedures. We appreciate authors' suggesting names for possible reviewers, but we reserve the right to final selection. Decisions on acceptance or rejection shall be sent by e-mail to corresponding author. Materials from rejected articles shall not be returned; therefore, authors must keep their own copies of same.
- Editorial Policy
Judgments and opinions expressed in articles and communications published in the Revista Colombiana de Cancerología are those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board. The Editorial Board and the NCI accept no responsibility for said materials. Neither the Editorial Board nor the NCI guarantee or support any product announced in the Revista, neither do they guarantee any statements made by manufacturer related to said product or service.
- Guarantees and granting of intellectual property rights
EES shall invite author to read authorship and granting of copyright declaration included in the EES webpage tool; and shall require that author declare the existence or non-existence of conflict of interest in the pertinent text therein. Author shall process his/her guarantees and granting of copyright through the EES, in the "Additional Information" section. The pertinent text of guarantees and granting of copyright are reproduced below:
- 1. Author's guarantees and liability. Author guarantees that texts, including any graphic content, charts, designs or illustrations (henceforth, generically referred to as "the Work") submitted to the Revista Colombiana de Cancerología for publication are original, unpublished and of original authorship, and that same have neither been previously published or simultaneously submitted to any other publisher for publication. Additionally, author guarantees and accepts liability for possession of all exploitation rights related to Work, and that in no case do rights infringe on the rights of third parties, and that in the case that exploitation rights of third parties may be involved, author has obtained corresponding authorization for their exploitation and authorization for their exploitation on the part of Elsevier Spain, S.L. Furthermore, author guarantees that Works submitted do not violate personal data protection regulations. Specifically, author guarantees that he/she has obtained previous written authorization and consent from patients or their family members for said publication, in cases in which patients may be identified in Works or when published information would make them easily identifiable.
- 2. Granting of Exploitation Rights. Author grants to the Revista Colombiana de Cancerología exclusive exploitation rights, with the rights to grant said rights to third parties, derived from Works which may be selected for publication in the Revista Colombiana de Cancerología, as well as any products derived from same, specifically, rights to public reproduction, distribution, communication (including interactive availability) and transformation (including adaptation, modification, and when necessary, translation) for all means of exploitation (including but not limited to: printed, electronic, on line, information or audiovisual backup formats, as well as any other format, including those related to promotional or publicity and/or creation of derived products), for worldwide territory and for the legal duration of said rights set forth in the Revised Text on Intellectual Property. Accordingly, author may not publish nor disseminate Works selected for publication in the Revista Colombiana de Cancerología, neither totally nor partially, neither shall author grant authorization to third parties for publication of the same, without having received previous express mandatory authorization, in writing, from the Revista Colombiana de Cancerología. When submitting manuscript authors may consult complete text on granting of publication rights at the EES website.
- Declaration of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest occurs when circumstances exist which may alter the study's validity or involve authors in the possibility of earning a profit. Conflict of interest exists whether these circumstances are concurrent or not, independent of whether study's validity may be affected or not. Each author must explicitly declare on manuscript's first page if he/she has any conflicts of interest, providing additional details if necessary. Besides indicating said information in the manuscript, upon submission of same, authors shall fill out "Conflict of Interest" form in the "Additional Information" section.
- Editorial Process
The Revista Colombiana de Cancerología's Editorial Board shall acknowledge receipt of Works submitted and shall provide information on decisions: acceptance, modification or rejection. Evaluation of works, which shall adhere to an established protocol, shall be anonymous. The initial evaluation process shall last from three to four months. In order to ensure blind review, neither authors' names, nor their provenance, nor references to the center or centers where work has been developed shall appear in any sections of the manuscript, except on the title page.
In the event that work shall require modifications, these must be submitted to the Revista within a 2-week period; if not received within said time period, work will be returned to responsible author and withdrawn from consideration for publication. No work shall be definitively accepted until all corrections have been made. Whenever Editorial Board requests modified versions, authors must submit new version within a 2-week period, accompanied by a letter written in the EES "Response to Reviewers" section, in which changes suggested by Editorial Board are explained in detail as well as inclusion of responses to those recommendations proposed by expert consultants.
Editorial Board reserves the right to make changes or modifications in the study with the aim of improving comprehension of the same, without affecting meaning of content. Author must approve Editorial Board's edited version. A diagrammed proof version of the article shall be sent to the corresponding author. Authors must proofread proof copy, mark any possible errors in same and return said copy within 2 days. These printing proofs shall serve to detect errors in typing, spelling and form. Authors shall also be responsible for proofreading text in English. No corrections shall be accepted which affect content or modify original meaning of article. If said proofs are not received within established time period, Editorial Board shall not be responsible for any error or omission which may be published.
Editorial Board reserves the right to accept or reject corrections made by author in diagrammed proof copy.
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