The AORTIC Journal of Cancer Research (AJCR) welcomes a broad range of article types that advance cancer research, clinical care, prevention, and policy, with a particular emphasis on Africa and underserved populations globally.

Authors should prepare manuscripts in clear, concise English, following standard scientific reporting guidelines (e.g., CONSORT for randomized controlled trials, STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, where applicable). Submissions must be original, not previously published, and not under consideration elsewhere.

General Formatting Requirements

• Manuscripts should be submitted in Word format (.doc or .docx)
• Use double spacing, 12-point font (e.g., Times New Roman), and numbered pages
• Include line numbers for review
• Structure should include:
  • Title page
  • Abstract
  • Keywords (3–6)
  • Main text
  • References
  • Figures and Tables (with legends)

Article Types & Word Limits

The following limits apply to each article type:

* Authors should indicate the word count at time of submission. Exceptional content may warrant limits being exceeded on a case-by-case basis.

1. Expectations Regarding Authorship

The Journal and the Publisher assume that all authors included in a manuscript have reviewed and approved its content, that they have given their explicit consent to the submission, and that they have obtained, prior to submission, all necessary institutional or organizational authorization (whenever needed).

Authors should follow the recommended standards of the ICMJE recommendations for authors and contributors, as well as any other transparency framework in local institutions of the corresponding author.

As a general rule, authorship should be limited to individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

• They made a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study, to the collection or interpretation of data, or to the development of the software used in the work;
• They wrote the manuscript or reviewed it intellectually and critically;
• They approved the final version intended for publication;
• They agree to assume responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the work, and to cooperate in resolving any issues raised in this regard.

2. Declarations and Disclosures

Authors should include all relevant statements for the manuscript, including:

• Sources of funding;
• Competing interests, whether financial or non-financial;
• Ethical approval, when required (name of IRB, date, and approval code);
• Informed consent, where applicable;
• Statements relating to animal welfare when animals have been involved as per IACUC approval;
• Information on the availability of data, hardware, software or code.

The requirement to include a statement depends on both the journal and the type of article. Even when no explicit requirement is stated, authors remain responsible for disclosing any information that could affect public confidence, scientific interpretation, or the public interest.

3. Transparency of Data and Equipment

Authors must ensure that the data, materials, software, and code on which the article is based are sufficient to support the manuscript's conclusions and are processed in accordance with disciplinary standards.

4. Responsibilities of the Corresponding Author

One author must be designated as the corresponding author. This person acts on behalf of all co-authors and ensures that any questions relating to the accuracy or integrity of the work are properly addressed. The corresponding author must, in particular:

• Ensure that all authors have approved the manuscript before submission, including the list and order of authors;
• Manage communication with the Journal before and after publication;
• Report any reuse of previously published material and identify any unpublished content included in the manuscript;
• Ensure that the declarations, transparency statements and disclosure information of all authors are properly integrated.

When the technical management of the submission is entrusted to another person, the corresponding author must nevertheless be clearly identified in the manuscript.

5. Authors' Contribution Statements

The AJCR encourages authors to include a statement of contribution outlining each person's role as per ICMJE definition and CRediT taxonomy. This practice promotes transparency and helps readers understand how the work was carried out. Authorship changes after acceptance is not allowed except in rare situations where all authors agree on the changes as per COPE guidelines.

6. Affiliations

Each author's primary affiliation should normally be the institution where the majority of the work was carried out. If an author has changed institutions since then, their new address may also be indicated. As a rule of the AJCR, affiliations are not changed after publication.

7. Authorship Modifications

Authors should confirm the composition of the author group, the order of authors, and the identity of the corresponding author at the time of submission. Changes to authorship after acceptance are generally not permitted. Adding or removing authors during the revision stage is prohibited and may only be permitted in exceptional circumstances. Any such request must be justified, and its acceptance rests with the editor-in-chief or editorial team.

8. Authorship Dispute

If an authorship dispute arises during review or after publication, the Journal is not generally responsible for investigating or resolving it. However, the editor in chief may consult the research integrity editor to propose a solution in accordance with COPE guidelines. Gift authorships including "paper mills" are strictly prohibited.

9. Confidentiality

Exchanges with the Journal, including correspondence with editors and reviewer reports, must be treated as confidential unless explicitly authorized to share them.

10. Compliance with Ethical Standards

In order to promote transparency, objectivity and professional integrity, authors should include, where applicable, a separate section entitled "Compliance with Ethical Standards". This section may include statements relating to:

• Conflicts of interest: this includes any interactions with for-profit sectors (pharmaceutical industry, etc.) that may compromise the design or reporting of research findings. The AJCR follows COPE guidelines regarding competing interests;
• Research involving human or animal participants (publishing studies with human data, including retrospective cohorts, should be approved by an ethics committee);
• Informed consent (preferably written and signed);
• The availability of data and code.

The corresponding author should be able to provide supporting documentation upon request during the review process or after publication. The journal may reject manuscripts that do not meet these standards, and authors remain responsible for the accuracy of all statements provided.

11. Competing Interests

Authors must declare any interest directly or indirectly related to the submitted work. This includes both financial and non-financial interests. Relevant interests may include, but are not limited to:

• Subsidies, funding, salaries or travel expenses;
• A current, recent or anticipated job;
• Holding shares, consulting fees, patents or patent applications;
• Editorial functions, advisory roles, board positions, mentoring relationships, or other professional connections.

The declaration should be broad enough to allow readers to assess whether a reasonable perception of bias might exist. When no relevant interest exists, the authors should state this explicitly.

12. Research Involving Human Participants, Their Data, or Biological Material

12.1. Ethical Approval

For studies involving human participants, human data, or human biological material, authors should indicate whether ethical approval was obtained, whether an exemption was granted, or whether such approval was not required, while identifying the relevant institutional ethics committee or review board.

Research should be conducted in accordance with recognized ethical principles, including the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki and its latest amendments. If ethical approval was waived or deemed unnecessary, the manuscript should explain why. Retrospective approval is generally not acceptable when prior authorization was required.

12.2. Case Studies and Retrospective Studies

Case reports may require ethical approval according to applicable institutional policy. Retrospective studies may also be subject to authorization under national or local law. Authors should verify the applicable requirements before submission.

12.3. Human Cell Lines

When human cell lines are used, authors should identify them, describe their origin, and specify whether authentication has been performed and the method used. It is recommended to consult resources such as the NCBI resource on cell line authentication.

12.4. Clinical Trial Registration

Prospective clinical trials should be registered in an accessible public registry. Suitable registries include ClinicalTrials.gov and those connected to the WHO International Clinical Trials Registration Platform (ICTRP) such as The Pan African Clinical Trial Registry. Registration numbers and corresponding dates should be included in the abstract where required.

12.5. Reporting Standards

Authors are encouraged to follow reporting guidelines appropriate to their study type, such as CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, STARD, TRIPOD, and CHEERS. Useful resources are available through the EQUATOR network.

12.6. Informed Consent

Participants have rights to their personal data, images, and any material that could identify them. Authors should not publish identifying details unless such information is essential for scientific purposes and explicit permission has been obtained. Written consent is generally required for publication. For any research involving human participants, consent to participate should be obtained when required. Authors should also seek consent to publish when data, images, or case details are included in the manuscript.

13. Research Data Policy and Data Availability

Original research articles should include a data availability statement explaining where and under what conditions the data supporting the findings can be accessed. Research data may include spreadsheets, images, transcripts, archives, audio or video files, software, and other materials generated or analyzed during the study. When data cannot be freely shared, for example due to confidentiality or sensitivity reasons, the statement should explain the restrictions and describe how qualified researchers can request access.

14. Plagiarism and AI Use in Research

Manuscripts submitted to the AJCR must be original, unpublished, and not submitted simultaneously to another journal unless the submission clearly constitutes an extension of previous work and any reuse of content is fully disclosed. Authors must avoid self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, and unjustifiably splitting a single study into multiple articles. Results must be presented honestly and clearly, without manipulation of data or images.

Plagiarism is prohibited, and any reused content must be properly cited, enclosed in quotation marks where appropriate, and used with the required permission when copyrighted. The AJCR uses plagiarism detection software including plagiarismcheck.org to review submissions. The journal editor may consult the research integrity editor whenever necessary to prevent any misconduct, including plagiarism.

While large language models can, in some cases, be used to improve the language of a manuscript, they should not be considered a substitute for human involvement in scholarly writing. If such tools are used, authors must clearly state this in their ethics statement and acknowledgments, clearly specifying the purpose and scope of their use. The journal also systematically checks submissions for this purpose.

Authors must also ensure they have the necessary permissions to use any software, questionnaires, surveys, or scales included in their work. All articles must be supported by relevant and properly cited literature, while excessive self-citation is discouraged.

Please ensure all submissions meet the following requirements:

The AJCR Process Guide is hosted on our training platform and provides detailed, illustrated instructions covering:

• Creating and managing your author account
• Preparing and formatting your manuscript for submission
• Navigating the online submission portal step by step
• Understanding the peer-review workflow and decision types
• Responding to reviewer comments and submitting revisions
• Tracking your manuscript status after submission

You will be taken to training.aortic-journal.org in the same window.