Instructions for Authors

Thank you for considering the Brazilian Journal of Oncology as a potential platform for publishing your research. Please follow the guidelines outlined below to ensure a smooth submission and review process.

Additionally, authors must adhere to our Editorial Policy.

General Information and Peer Review

All manuscripts submitted to the Brazilian Journal of Oncology will be reviewed by two to three experts, and authorship confidentiality and reviewer identity will be maintained throughout the editorial process. This journal employs a Double-Anonymized Peer Review system, which means that the identities of both the reviewers and authors are concealed during the review process. Copies of reviewer assessments are provided to the authors. Manuscripts that are accepted as well as those conditionally accepted pending necessary revisions will be returned to the authors along with the opinions, suggestions, or required changes provided by the reviewers. In the case of conditional acceptance, the authors must resubmit the revised text through the submission system following the same protocol as the initial submission. The revisions should be distinctly highlighted, preferably in dark green. Moreover, authors should include justifications, if applicable, for any instances where they deviate from the suggested changes indicated in the review form.

The deadline for authors to address the corrections requested by the reviewers is 15 days. If this deadline is not met, the submission will be considered overdue. Authors may request an extension, which will be evaluated by the editor-in-chief. If the manuscript is not returned after 45 days, it will be assumed that the authors are no longer interested in publication, and the paper will be rejected.

Manuscripts submitted for consideration must not be under simultaneous review by other journals, nor have they been previously published, with the exception of conference abstracts or preprint depositions.

The Brazilian Journal of Oncology examines articles submitted through the iThenticate anti-plagiarism system. For publication approval, we will assess originality, the relevance of the theme, ethical aspects, the quality of the methodology used, and adherence to the editorial standard of the journal.

All articles in the Brazilian Journal of Oncology are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license and are available online immediately upon publication, with no registration required. This license, under which Thieme publishes the articles, permits users to read, download, copy, distribute, and use the content for any lawful purpose, provided that the original source is properly cited and any changes made are clearly indicated.

Copyright and Intellectual Property

Authors publishing in the Brazilian Journal of Oncology retain full copyright and intellectual property rights to their work. By submitting the manuscript, the corresponding author – acting on behalf of all co-authors – grants the journal the right of first publication. This grant of rights is automatically revoked should the manuscript be rejected or withdrawn during the peer-review process.

Authors bear full responsibility for the concepts and statements presented in their articles. For more information on copyright and the use of articles, please visit our About section.

Article Processing Charges (APC)

All article processing charges (APCs) are fully sponsored by the Sociedade Brasileira de Oncologia Clínica (Brazilian Society of Clinical Oncology), the Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Oncológica (Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology), and the Sociedade Brasileira de Oncologia Pediátrica (Brazilian Society of Pediatric Oncology). Upon acceptance, no APCs are due from the authors. No additional fees – including submission fees, editorial processing charges, or page and color charges apply.

Ethical Standards and Editorial Policy

The Brazilian Journal of Oncology is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and publishing ethics. Our primary objective is to enhance the journal’s reputation by ensuring all published content undergoes a rigorous and transparent evaluation process.

Guided Principles and Guidelines

The journal strictly adheres to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing and aligns its editorial policies with the recommendations established by:

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA)

Furthermore, we endorse the Singapore Declaration on Research Integrity and the Hong Kong Principles regarding the assessment of researchers.

Research Integrity and Misconduct

Misconduct and Plagiarism: Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. Misconduct includes data fabrication, falsification, and purposeful failure to disclose conflicts of interest. If misconduct is detected during review, the article will be rejected; if discovered post-publication, an investigation following COPE guidelines will be conducted, potentially leading to correction or retraction.
Corrections and Authorship Changes: After submission, any changes to authorship (such as adding or removing authors) require a detailed explanation, a description of tasks based on CRediT taxonomy, and written agreement from all original and new co-authors via an “Authorship change request form”.
Retractions: Journal editors evaluate retractions in accordance with COPE’s Retraction Guidelines. Retracted articles will be watermarked as such to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.

Specific Research Policies

Research Involving Animal Studies: Research involving animals must comply with relevant national and institutional animal welfare guidelines. Authors must include the name of the institutional ethics committee and the approval reference number in the manuscript. Authors should also detail the ethical treatment of animals using the ARRIVE guidelines.

Cell Line Authentication: The Materials and Methods section must clearly indicate the origin of all cell lines used. For established lines, authors must provide references to a commercial supplier or published paper. Newly created cell lines require approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.

Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER): The Journal endorses the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines. Authors are required to distinguish between the terms “sex” (referring to biological attributes) and “gender” (referring to socially constructed identities and roles), as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Research findings should be disaggregated by sex and gender where applicable.

Bias-Free Language – Ethnicity and Race: The Journal is committed to the use of bias-free language. Authors are required to use specific, accurate descriptors that emphasize ethnicity over the broader, socially constructed category of race. All manuscripts must adhere to the American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines on Racial and Ethnic Identity, ensuring that language is precise, person-centered, and respectful of the groups being described.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

In accordance with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Brazilian Journal of Oncology recognizes that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) can enhance research efficiency. However, these tools lack the legal and ethical capacity to take responsibility for submitted work. Therefore, the use of AI must be guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and integrity. AI-generated content must be rigorously vetted by human authors to ensure clinical accuracy and to prevent the propagation of biases or “hallucinations” inherent in these technologies.

Disclosure and Documentation

Text Generation: If generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude, or others) were used to create any portion of the manuscript text, their use must be transparently documented in the Acknowledgments or Materials and Methods sections.
Image Integrity: Minor adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable, provided they do not obscure, eliminate, or misrepresent information in the original data.
Screening: Manuscripts may be subjected to image forensics or AI-detection software to identify potential irregularities or undisclosed AI use.

Prohibited Actions

Authorship: AI tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) do not meet the criteria for authorship and cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.
Data Manipulation: The creation, alteration, or fabrication of primary data, research results, or scientific imagery (e.g., Western blots, histological staining, or flow cytometry) using Generative AI is strictly prohibited and constitutes scientific misconduct.

Author Responsibility

Authors bear ultimate responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the entire manuscript. This includes all content generated, edited, or polished with the assistance of AI tools. Authors must be able to verify the sources of the data and information provided by AI.

Mandatory Disclosure Statement

If Generative AI (GenAI) was utilized in the preparation of the manuscript, the following statement must be included in the appropriate section:

“During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for the purpose of [REASON]. Following the use of this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as required and take full responsibility for the integrity of the final publication.”

Note: If no GenAI tools were employed for substantive content creation, no statement is required.

Exemptions

This policy does not apply to the use of basic tools for:

Grammar, spelling, and syntax correction.
Reference management (e.g., EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero).
Standard statistical analysis software.

Preprints

The journal encourages the use of preprint systems (such as bioRxiv or medRxiv). During submission, authors must:

Disclose the use of the preprint repository in the cover letter.
Specify any significant adjustments made between the preprint version and the current submission.
Cite the preprint, including its DOI, in the manuscript’s reference list.

Types of Manuscript

The Brazilian Journal of Oncology is dedicated to publishing original research, reviews, case reports, editorial comments, and other scholarly articles pertaining to all aspects of oncology. We welcome submissions covering a wide range of topics, including clinical and translational studies in all areas of oncology, such as clinical, surgical, pediatric, radiotherapy, cancer biology, clinical trials, epidemiology, treatment outcomes, palliative care, and cancer supportive care.

Original papers: These are comprehensive prospective, experimental, or retrospective manuscripts presenting original clinical and/or experimental research findings. Typically, the text comprises the following sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion (Conclusions may be presented as a subheading within the Discussion section), and References. In the Discussion section, it is important to address any study limitations if applicable. The main body of the text, excluding the title, abstract, keywords, and references, should be limited to a maximum of 3,000 words.

Case Reports: These are cases of significant interest, well-documented from clinical, surgical, or laboratory perspectives. The case must be a rare one, particularly useful for illustrating a mechanism or diagnostic challenge, presenting a new diagnostic method, or detailing a new or modified treatment. The text should comprise the following sections: Introduction, Case Description, Discussion, and References. The main text, exclusive of the title, abstract, keywords, and references, should consist of up to 2,000 words.

Editorial Comments: Editorials are opinion articles written by experts or commentaries on articles published in the journal. They are designed to stimulate discussion, encourage critical thinking, and occasionally inspire action. Essentially, an editorial is an opinion-based piece that typically comprises an Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. A clear and impartial explanation of the issue, particularly for complex matters, is highly valued. These articles may be commissioned by the editor, written by the editorial board, or submitted unsolicited for consideration. The text – excluding the title and references – must not exceed 1,500 words.

Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor serve to address editorial matters and provide relevant information to our readers. These letters may be edited for length or clarity at the editor’s discretion, though the primary points will always be retained. Letters commenting on previously published papers will be forwarded to the original authors, allowing for the simultaneous publication of their response.

To ensure the quality and impact of your submission to the Brazilian Journal of Oncology, please keep your communication concise, professional, and focused on pertinent issues. The text – excluding the title and references – must not exceed 750 words.

Review Article (or Critical Literature Review): The selection of themes and the invitation to authors were based on the publishing house’s established plan. Spontaneous submissions have also been considered. In such cases, authors are required to submit an initial email containing a summary or outline of their manuscript along with a list of authors. If the journal expresses interest, the author will be invited to submit the complete paper. The methods and procedures used to gather relevant literature should be described, referencing recent sources, including those from the current year. In cases where a topic remains a subject of controversy, the review should comprehensively address all ongoing trends and lines of investigation.

A review article to be accepted in the Brazilian Journal of Oncology must present a concise and evaluative examination of a relevant subject rather than a mere chronological account of the existing literature. The key attributes of such articles lie in their critical and concise nature, which requires authors who have made significant contributions to the specific research field. A suitable review article should be structured into distinct sections, including an Introduction, Methods (not required but suggested), Discussion/Observations, and Conclusions. While the methods section is not mandatory for Narrative Reviews, it may be included to describe the literature search conducted for the study. If included, the authors should cite the characteristics of the literature re- searched and included in the review, the sources consulted, the search terms used, the dates covered in the search, and any process used to evaluate the literature and select the articles included or excluded.

The main body of the text, excluding the title, abstract, keywords, and references, should not exceed 4,000 words.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: All systematic reviews submitted to the Brazilian Journal of Oncology must be registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). The registration number must be cited in the Methods section. The registration should ideally occur before starting the study. For further details on this requirement, please refer to the relevant section of our Editorial Policy.

The criteria for accepting a Systematic Review or Meta-Analysis are the same as those for Review articles.

Guidelines for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Search Strategy and Criteria for Study Selection

Study Nature: Begin by identifying the nature of the review, distinguishing between a systematic review that evaluates diverse trials without a summary estimate and a meta-analysis that offers an overall summary estimate based on the available data.
Inclusion Criteria: Specify the inclusion criteria for the studies, including study dates, language requirements, populations assessed, and study designs (e.g., randomized controlled trials or observational studies exclusively).
Exclusion Criteria: State any criteria for study exclusion along with the specific reasons for exclusion.
Data Sources: Describe the databases searched and the exact date cutoffs. Provide the search terms for at least one database to allow for replication of the search.
Search Comprehensiveness: Indicate the search’s comprehensiveness, such as whether study authors were contacted, if grey literature sources were evaluated, and if articles were translated.
Registries and Unpublished Data: Mention whether trial registries were searched and if any unpublished studies were sought for data.
Data Type: Specify the type of data sought, whether it involved individual patient-level data or summary estimates.
Extraction and Conflict Resolution: Identify the individuals responsible for searches and data extraction. Explain how conflicts regarding inclusion were resolved. Describe the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review and, if applicable, the meta-analysis (if they differ).
Software and Protocol: If the study protocol is available online, provide a direct link. State the statistical package and version number used for the analyses.
Registration: Provide the study registration number and the name of the registry (e.g., PROSPERO).

Note: Reports must strictly adhere to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

Guidelines and Special Articles are accepted strictly by invitation from the Editors or following the approval of a formal proposal by the Editorial Board. Prospective authors must contact the Editorial Office prior to manuscript submission. All Special Articles and Guidelines undergo a Double-Anonymized Peer Review process, which may be conducted by members of the Editorial Board or invited external experts. Submissions must align with the Journal’s scope and demonstrate significant relevance to its readership.

Summary of Submission Requirements

Type	Max Words (Body)	Abstract	Sections Required
Original Papers	3,000	Structured, 275 words	Intro, Methods, Results, Discussion, Refs
Case Reports	2,000	Unstructured, 150 words	Intro, Case Description, Discussion, Refs
Review Articles	4,000	Unstructured, 275 words	Intro, Methods (optional), Discussion, Conclusion
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis	4,000	Structured, 275 words	PRISMA 2020 guidelines; PROSPERO registration mandatory
Editorials	1,500	N/A	Intro, Body, Conclusion
Letters to Editor	750	N/A	Concise, focused on pertinent issues

Additional Reporting Guidelines

To ensure the highest standards of scientific reporting, the Brazilian Journal of Oncology requires authors to adhere to the internationally recognized guidelines hosted by the EQUATOR Network. Authors must submit the relevant completed checklist as a “Supplemental File for Review” during the submission process.

Below are the specific requirements for CONSORT, STROBE, and CARE guidelines:

CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)

Required for: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)

The CONSORT guidelines are designed to improve the transparency of randomized trials by providing a standard way for authors to report how the trial was designed, analyzed, and interpreted.

Checklist & Flow Diagram: Authors must include a completed CONSORT checklist and a flow diagram illustrating the progress of all participants through the trial.
Trial Registration: All RCTs must be registered in a public trials registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) before the first patient is enrolled.
Primary Outcomes: Clearly state the primary and secondary outcomes, including how and when they were assessed.

STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology)

Required for: Cohort, Case-Control, and Cross-Sectional Studies

The STROBE statement provides a checklist of items that should be included in reports of observational studies to ensure readers can evaluate the validity of the findings.

Study Design: Clearly specify the study design (e.g., retrospective or prospective) in the title or abstract.
Bias Mitigation: Describe any efforts to address potential sources of bias within the Methods section.
Statistical Analysis: Detail all statistical methods, including those used to control for confounding variables.

CARE (Case Report Guidelines)

Required for: Case Reports

The CARE guidelines provide a framework that supports transparency and accuracy in the publication of case reports.

Patient Perspective: Whenever possible, include the patient’s perspective on the treatments they received.
Timeline: Authors are encouraged to provide a historical timeline of the case, including dates of relevant events and interventions.
Diagnostic Assessment: Detail the diagnostic methods used (e.g., imaging, laboratory tests) and the rationale for the final diagnosis.

Authorship

The authorship criteria for the Brazilian Journal of Oncology conform to the standards established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Authors are strongly encouraged to consult the ICMJE guidelines directly before submission
According to the ICMJE “Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors” document, authorship must be based on the following four criteria, all of which must be met:

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 critically revising it for important intellectual content; AND
Final approval of the version to be published; AND
Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the paper are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Only individuals who have made direct contributions to the intellectual content of the manuscript should be credited as authors. Those who do not meet all four criteria (e.g., providing funding or general supervision only) should be acknowledged in the “Acknowledgments” section rather than listed as authors.

Institutional and Multicenter Studies

For collaborative research, the following specific requirements apply:

Institutional Authorship: Papers submitted on behalf of one or more institutions must clearly identify the specific individuals responsible for the work and their respective affiliations.
Multicenter Studies: The number of authors should generally correspond to the number of centers involved. It is mandatory that at least one author represents each participating research center.
Final Approval: Regardless of the study’s scale, all listed authors must review and approve the final version of the manuscript prior to publication.

Submission and Preliminary Evaluation

Upon submission, authors will receive an electronic confirmation of receipt along with a protocol number. Submissions that adhere to the Instructions for Authors and align with the journal’s editorial policy will be evaluated by reviewers designated by the board.

However, manuscripts that do not align with the journal’s objectives or fail to follow the provided instructions will be returned to the authors for necessary adjustments before undergoing formal evaluation. In some cases, such manuscripts may be rejected without undergoing external peer review.

Cover Letter

When submitting a manuscript to the Brazilian Journal of Oncology, authors must include a cover letter that underscores the importance and clinical relevance of their work. This letter also serves as a formal agreement with the journal’s editorial policies and review process.

Required Details

The cover letter must include the following information:

Article Title: The full title of the submitted manuscript.
Corresponding Author Information: Full mailing address (including postal code/ZIP code), telephone number, email address, and institutional affiliation.
Author List: Full names of all contributing authors.
Originality Statement: A formal declaration confirming that the paper is original, has not been previously published, and is not currently under consideration by any other journal.
Author Approval & Responsibility: A statement confirming that all authors have read and approved the final manuscript and agree to its submission. Authors must also confirm their agreement with the journal’s editorial policies and peer review process, accepting full responsibility for the information presented.
Conflict of Interest: Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest in accordance with the journal’s requirements.

Previous Submissions

If a previous version of the manuscript was submitted to another journal, please include:

The primary comments received from the previous peer reviewers.
A brief explanation of how those comments were addressed and what revisions were made.

Clinical Investigation Requirements

For papers involving clinical research, the following must be incorporated:

Ethics Approval: A declaration confirming that the study protocol was approved by a Hospital Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB) affiliated with at least one of the authors.
Informed Consent: Confirmation that written informed consent was obtained from all study participants.

Note: The cover letter is an administrative document and will not be shared with peer reviewers during the double-blind review process.

Title Page

The title page of your manuscript must include the following information:

Full title of the manuscript.
Running head (short title).
Area of Research (e.g., Clinical, Surgery, Pediatric Oncology, or Radiotherapy) and the Type of Study (e.g., Original Article, Review Article, Case Report, etc.).
Full names and ORCID iDs of all authors.
Indication of the corresponding author, including their full address, email, and cell phone number.

Please upload this file as a “Supplemental file – not for review.”

Preparation of Manuscript

The following standards provided here are based on the format proposed by the ICMJE and were originally published in the article entitled “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals,” which can be accessed at http://www.icmje.org/. Therefore, we strongly recommend visiting the ICMJE website for more information.

General Formatting:

Software and Font: Use Microsoft Word. The text should be set in 12-point Times New Roman.
Spacing: Double-space the entire document, including the reference list and all tables.
Layout: Use a single-column layout with approximately 25 lines per page.
Pagination: Number all pages consecutively, starting with the title page.
Style: Write proper names in sentence case and omit periods in acronyms (e.g., use “DPP” instead of “D.P.P.”).

Manuscript Structure by Type:

Original Papers: Must include Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion (with limitations and conclusion), and References.
Case Reports: Must include Introduction, Case Description, Discussion, and References.
Review Articles: Must include Introduction, Methods (suggested), Discussion/Observations, and Conclusions.

Essential Ethical & Data Statements

To comply with the journal’s integrity standards, the following must be clearly stated in the Materials and Methods (or Case Description) section:

Institutional Ethics: Provide the name of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the specific approval reference number.
Informed Consent: Explicitly confirm that written informed consent was obtained from all participants. For Case Reports, authors must state that the patient (or legal guardian) provided written informed consent for the publication of their clinical details and any accompanying images.
Data Availability Statement (DAS): In accordance with Thieme’s editorial policies, authors are encouraged to include a statement clarifying whether research data is available in a public repository, accessible upon reasonable request, or not applicable. We strongly recommend depositing research data in a repository, such as Zenodo, prior to manuscript submission.
Clinical Trial Registration: All clinical trials must be registered in a free, publicly accessible, and electronically searchable registry before the first participant is enrolled. Registration must be completed through ClinicalTrials.gov or other primary registries recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).
Funding: Disclose all financial support or funding received for the research.

Visuals:

Tables: Submit as editable text (Word/Excel), not images. Use Arabic numerals and include a caption at the bottom to define all abbreviations.
Figures and Graphics: Upload separately as high-resolution (600 dpi) .tif, .png, or .jpg files.

Writing Style:

Write proper names in sentence case (capitalize only the first letter) in both the text and bibliographical references.
Avoid using dots in acronyms; instead, write acronyms without periods (e.g., use “DPP” instead of “D.P.P.”).
When acronyms or abbreviations are used, they should be fully defined when first mentioned in the text.

Manuscripts must be submitted exclusively in the English language.

Format the Manuscript

Front Page

The front page features a presentation of the work, including the main title, running head or short title, abstract, and keywords. The main title should be concise and informative, avoiding non-standard acronyms or abbreviations and remaining within a two-line limit when printed. The main title should not exceed 200 characters, including spaces, while the running head should not exceed 60 characters, including spaces.

Abstract

The abstract should appear on the front page. The abstract should be structured into sections such as Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion for original works.

The abstract should offer a concise overview of the work, focusing on relevant information only. It should briefly describe the methods employed and the statistical analysis conducted. Present the most pertinent numerical results rather than just indicating statistical significance. Conclusions should be drawn from the work’s results, not existing literature. Avoid the use of abbreviations and symbols, and do not include bibliographic references in the abstract.

On the same page as the abstract, list 3 to 7 keywords. Capitalize the first letter of each keyword (e.g., Surgery, Plastic / Neoplasm, Bone / Free tissue flaps). These keywords will aid in indexing in national and international databases and should align with the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) of the National Library of Medicine, accessible at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/.

Also on the same page, below the abstract, provide the registration number and/or identification for randomized controlled trials and clinical trials, if applicable.

For Case Reports and Narrative Review Articles, the abstract should not follow a structured format. Case Reports need to be limited to 150 words. Review Articles and Systematic Reviews are limited to 275 words, like Original Articles.

Introduction

This section should provide an overview of the current state of the field, highlighting existing controversies and knowledge gaps that justify the present research. This should be achieved concisely, avoiding an exhaustive literature review. Authors must clearly state the study rationale and the specific objectives of the research.

For Case Reports, this section must provide a concise summary of previously published cases and the epidemiology of the condition. Authors should clearly state the rationale for presenting the report (e.g., rarity, a unique clinical presentation, or a novel therapeutic approach).

Methods

Specify the research design at the outset: whether the study is retrospective or prospective, experimental or a clinical trial, and the method of randomization (if applicable).

Key Requirements:

Selection Criteria: Detail the criteria for patient or experimental group selection, including a description of the control group.
Materials: List equipment and reagents used, including the manufacturer’s name, city, and country.
Reproducibility: Provide sufficient detail (or references to accessible journals) to allow the study to be replicated. If using established methodologies, cite the original source and provide a brief description.
Statistics: Specify the statistical methods employed and which tests were used for specific comparisons.
Controls: Studies investigating treatment or drug efficacy/tolerability must include an appropriate control group.

Ethical Considerations:

For Clinical Investigations, authors must confirm approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Ethics Committee affiliated with at least one author’s institution. Statement of written informed consent from all participants is mandatory. This information must be explicitly stated in the Methods section. To case reports, in the end of the Introduction section.

Results

Present findings in a clear, logical sequence using text, tables, and figures. This section may be divided into subsections with concise subheadings.

Focus: State results relevant to the study’s purpose and those intended for discussion.
Data Presentation: Do not repeat every data point from tables and figures in the text; instead, emphasize the most significant trends or findings without interpreting them.
Case Reports: The “Methods” and “Results” sections are replaced by a Case Description; all other sections remain unchanged.

Discussion

Highlight original findings and the novel information contributed by the study. Do not reiterate information from the Introduction or Results, and avoid referencing tables or figures in this section. Instead, focus on the practical implications of the research.

Authors should:

Compare observations with existing literature, explaining any disparities.
Outline the study’s implications and acknowledge its limitations.
Provide recommendations for future research or potential changes in clinical practice.

For Case Reports: The discussion must be supported by a comprehensive, contemporary literature review. We encourage the use of tables to summarize and compare data from previously published cases, highlighting how the current case contributes to or deviates from existing clinical knowledge.

Acknowledgments

The acknowledgments should be directed towards individuals who have provided intellectual collaboration for the work, even if their contribution does not warrant co- authorship. Additionally, acknowledgments should be extended to those who have offered material or other forms of support during the paper’s development. For more information on authorship, please refer to our section on Authorship Criteria in the Editorial Policy.

Authors must include a Disclosure of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage, where applicable, in accordance with the BJO Artificial Intelligence Policy.

References

General Guidelines

All works cited in the text must be included in the reference list, and vice versa. References must be numbered consecutively in the order in which they first appear in the manuscript. Authors should prioritize citing the most relevant and recent works.

In-Text Citations

Identify references in the text, tables, and legends using Arabic numerals in superscript, appearing after punctuation (e.g., text.¹).

Multiple citations: Separate non-consecutive numbers with commas without spaces (e.g., 1,5,7).
Consecutive citations: Represent a sequence of three or more references as a range (e.g., 4–9).
Formatting: Do not use underlining, boldface, or italics for citation numbers.

Formatting and Style

References must adhere to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) standards outlined in Citing Medicine, 2nd edition.

Journal Titles: Abbreviate titles according to the Index Medicus/MEDLINE style.
Language: Titles should preferably be presented in the original language. If an English translation is provided for a non-English title, enclose it in brackets and specify the original language at the end of the reference.
Author Listing: List the first six authors, followed by “et al.” if there are more than six.
Accuracy: Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy of all bibliographic data. Proper formatting is essential as references will be electronically linked via DOI.

Special Cases

Forthcoming Works: For articles accepted but not yet published, include the phrase “In press” or “Accepted and awaiting publication,” along with the journal name, volume, and year.
Preprints: Citations must clearly identify the source and repository of the preprint publication.
Self-Citations: Use self-citations only when strictly necessary and directly relevant to the research.
Source Material: Only include original papers published in regular periodicals. Avoid citing abstracts or unpublished observations unless essential.

Some Examples of References:

Journal articles

Mohty M, Malard F, Abecassis M, Aerts E, Alaskar AS, Aljurf M, et al. Revised diagnosis and severity criteria for sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease in adult pa- tients: a new classification from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016;51(7):906–12. https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2016.130.

Yu WM, Hawley TS, Hawley RG, Qu CK. Immortalization of yolk sac-derived precursor cells. Blood. 2002 Nov 15;100(10):3828–31. Epub 2002 Jul 5.

Rose ME, Huerbin MB, Melick J, Marion DW, Palmer AM, Schiding JK, et al. Regulation of interstitial excitatory amino acid concentrations after cortical contusion injury. Brain Res. 2002;935(1-2):40–6.

Forooghian F, Yeh S, Faia LJ, Nussenblatt RB. Uveitic foveal atrophy: clinical features and associations. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009 Feb;127(2):179–86. PubMed PMID: 19204236; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2653214.

Ellingsen AE, Wilhelmsen I. Sykdomsangst blant medisin- og jusstudenter. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2002;122(8):785–7. Norwegian.

Books

Baggish MS, Karram MM. Atlas of pelvic anatomy and gynecologic surgery. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 2006.

Book chapters

Meltzer PS, Kallioniemi A, Trent JM. Chromo- some alterations in human solid tumors. In: Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW, editors. The genetic basis of human cancer. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2002. p. 93-113.

Monograph on the Internet

Foley KM, Gelband H, editors. Improving palliative care for cancer [Internet]. Washington: National Academy Press; 2001 [cited 2002 Jul 9]. Available from: https://nap.nationalacademies. org/catalog/10149/improving-palliative-care- for-cancer.

Software on the Internet

Hayes B, Tesar B, Zurow K. OTSoft: Optimality Theory Software. Version 2.3.2 [software]. 2013 Jan 14 [cited 2015 Feb 14]. Available from: https://linguistics.ucla.edu/people/hayes/ otsoft/.

Presentation of the Tables and Figures

Limit: A maximum of eight (8) tables and/or figures are allowed per manuscript. Extensive data may be submitted as Supplementary Material.

Tables

Format: Tables must be submitted as editable text in Word (.doc/.docx) or Excel (.xls/.xlsx) format. Tables submitted as image files will not be accepted.
Placement: Tables should be uploaded as separate attachments (Supplemental Files for Review). Ensure the main file does not contain author names or affiliations to facilitate blind review.
Typography: Use double-spacing and Times New Roman (font size 10 or 12).
Numbering & Titles: Number tables sequentially using Arabic numerals in the order they are cited in the text. Each table must include a concise, descriptive title.
Structure: Clearly identify all columns with headings.
- Minimize horizontal lines (maximum of two at the top and one at the bottom).
- Do not use vertical lines.
- Avoid using tabs or spaces for alignment; use the standard table creation tool in Word or Excel.
Footnotes: Include a caption at the bottom of the table to define all abbreviations and specify the statistical tests employed. Abbreviations must be defined in the footnote even if they have been previously explained in the text.

Figures (Graphics and Illustrations)

Submission: Figures must be uploaded as separate attachments (Supplemental Files for Review) and numbered sequentially with Arabic numerals.
Quality Standards: All figures must be high-resolution and include a title and caption in English.
Technical Specifications:
- Graphics/Layouts: Minimum 600 dpi in bitmap format.
- Illustrations/Photographs: Minimum 600 dpi in RGB or grayscale.
- File Extensions: Accepted formats include .tif, .png, .jpg, or .pdf.
Permissions: If a figure has been previously published, authors must provide written authorization from the original publisher and cite the source in the caption.

Captions

Captions for figures (graphics, photographs, and illustrations) should be double-spaced and numbered according to their appearance in the text.

Clarity: Captions must provide sufficient information to allow the reader to understand the content independently of the main text.
Redundancy: Avoid duplicating data between tables and figures. Authors should select the single most effective format for presenting specific data.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Nomenclature Table: If the article uses multiple abbreviations, include a two-column table at the beginning of the manuscript (after the Abstract) listing:
1. The Abbreviation/Acronym.
2. The Full Name/Term.

Note: This table should be sorted alphabetically.

In-Text Usage: For lengthy expressions, provide the full term at first mention followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Thereafter, use the abbreviation consistently.
Restrictions: Abbreviations and acronyms must not be used in the article title or the abstract. All abbreviations used within tables or figures must be redefined in the corresponding footnotes or captions.

Submitting Your Paper

The Brazilian Journal of Oncology uses ScholarOne for online submissions. The process is organized into the following seven steps:

Step 1: Type, Title, Abstract, and Area

Manuscript Type: Select the appropriate category (e.g., Original Article, Case Report, Review).
Title: Enter the full title of the manuscript (maximum 200 characters, including spaces). Please also provide a running head that does not exceed 60 characters, including spaces.
Abstract: Copy and paste the abstract into the designated field.
Area of Research: Select one primary area: Clinical Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Radiotherapy, or Surgical Oncology.

Step 2: File Upload

Main Document: Upload the full work (Title, abstract, keywords, body, and references) as a single Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx).
Anonymization: Ensure the main document contains no author names or affiliations to maintain a Double-Anonymized Peer Review.
Title Page: Upload this separately as a “Supplemental file – not for review”.
Tables and Figures: These must be sent as attachments labeled “Supplemental File for Review”.
Ethical Documentation: Mandatory documents requested by the editors, such as Ethics Committee approvals, must be labeled “Supplemental File NOT for Review”.
Revisions: When submitting a revised manuscript, please provide only the most recent versions of your files and ensure all previous versions are removed. All modifications must be clearly highlighted in a contrasting color (e.g., blue or red).

Step 3: Attributes

Keywords: Provide 3 to 7 keywords.
MeSH Terms: All keywords must be based on the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) of the National Library of Medicine.

Step 4: Authors and Institutions

Identification: Register the full names of all authors without abbreviations.
Affiliations: List institutional affiliations without indicating specific job functions or titles.
Identifiers and Contact: Provide a valid email address and the ORCID iD for all authors. The ORCID iD must be included on the Title Page.
Corresponding Author: Please identify the corresponding author. For administrative efficiency, the journal prefers that the corresponding author also serves as the submitting author.
Contribution: Detail the specific contributions of each author to the research, ensuring they meet all four ICMJE authorship criteria and are categorized according to the CRediT Taxonomy.

Step 5: Reviewers

Suggestions: You may indicate preferred and non-preferred reviewers.
Reviewer Suggestions: Enter the required information for one or two potential reviewers in the designated fields. Please ensure that suggested reviewers do not have any conflicts of interest.

Step 6: Details and Comments

Cover Letter: Upload your cover letter in this section.
Disclosures: Disclose any conflicts of interest and provide details of financial support or funding received.
Article Data: Provide the total number of references, figures, and tables. Additionally, state the word count of the main manuscript text (excluding the title, abstract, keywords, figures, tables, and references).
Ethical Aspects: Confirm that you have read the ethical guidelines and that the submitted manuscript meets all requirements stated therein.
Additional data: Provide information regarding Data Protection, Rights of Use, Acknowledgments, Conflict of Interest, Clinical Trials Registration, and IRB Approval.
System Agreements: Acknowledge and agree to the required terms, including Thieme’s Third-Party Tools & Systems.

Step 7: Review and Submit

Final Verification: Carefully review the entire submission to ensure all data and files are accurate.
Submission Terms: You must accept all submission terms before finalizing the process for evaluation.

Author’s Submission Checklist

This checklist was created to assist the author in confirming compliance with the main requirements for manuscript submission:

Language: Is the article written entirely in English?
Visual Citations: Are all images and tables cited in the text?
Reference Formatting: Have all references been formatted according to Vancouver standards (ICMJE/NLM)?
Reference Consistency: Are all numbered references in the text correctly included in the References section?
Citation Validation: Do all references have at least one citation in the text?
Abbreviations: If the article contains abbreviations, is there a table consolidating them?
Ethics and Consent: For studies involving human trials, is there evidence of Research Ethics Committee approval and Informed Consent? This must be cited in the Methodology section (or at the end of the Introduction in the case of Case Reports).
Author Details: Are the authors and their affiliations spelled correctly?

Document Integrity: Has the main document been submitted in its entirety, including title, abstract, keywords, body, and references?