Do We Really Need Another Oncology Journal?

As the inaugural editor in chief of the journal Onco I am very proud to take on the challenge of bringing to life a new journal dedicated to promoting the new developments and management of this challenging disease. The field of oncology has become more and more complex, but with wider and easier access to ongoing research through high quality publications, progress has surpassed all expectations. One may ask, with all the journals dedicated to oncology, do we really need another journal. I reflected on this myself before accepting the role of editor in chief and came to the conclusion that the answer is yes. The pace of research has increased exponentially, with countries and institutions that were considered as “developing” having caught up to, and in some cases even surpassed, many of the historical pillars of science. This increase in scientific output is only good for the field. Through collaboration, and a little competition, discoveries that truly advance our understanding and treatment of cancer are inevitable. The same is true about publishing high quality papers. Journals are essential for allowing research to progress rapidly by making innovative discoveries accessible in a timely fashion. By limiting the number of journals, one actually impedes progress rather than helps to move it along. As Sir Isaac Newton said; “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants”. These “shoulders” needed journals in order to be seen. With excellent research ongoing around the world, results need a vehicle to provide a foundation for other researchers to build upon. This in no way means that publication standards should be lowered. The standards must remain high, however, given the limited number of journals, even high-quality research struggles to be published in a timely fashion, thus hindering the progress of the field. This is one important reason why the journal Onco is being brought forward. A high-quality journal for high quality research. So, what do we plan for this new journal? Onco will obviously have a wide range of interests in cancer research and treatment but will put an emphasis on novel therapeutic approaches in oncology. I will be joined by an extraordinary international editorial board that will make every effort to solicit high quality papers; from the discovery process, moving from the bench to the bedside, all the way to the implementation of these novel strategies. Such publications will improve both outcomes and the search for ways to reduce the burden of disease and its treatment. We look forward to receiving and reviewing your work in this field and hope that it will help disseminate excellence and further improve research and collaboration.