Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention had an excellent year in 1999. Our interdisciplinary panel of prominent Senior Editors (Drs. Lerman,Alberts, Kadlubar, and Potter) has provided readers with outstanding research reports in our areas of interest. Thanks to the hard work of the Associate Editors, reviewers, and journal staff (Mike Beveridge,Cecilia Gallo, and Susan Short), average time from initial manuscript submission to publication has been reduced by 45 days over the last 2 years. We have received a record number of manuscripts in 1999,representing an increase of 30% over 1998. In our continuing efforts to further enhance the quality of the journal, the current acceptance rate has been improved to 54% from 63% in 1997.
Our labors to further strengthen the Journal are producing measurable effects. According to Journal Citation Reports, the Impact Factor of CEBP ranks 5th among 80 public health journals for 1998, the latest year for which data are available. This is a substantial improvement from 1997, when CEBP was ranked 19th among 100 public health journals. Among 104 oncology journals, CEBP currently ranks 14th. The corresponding Impact Factor, as determined by number of citations per article published in CEBP during the preceding 2 years, rose from 2.9 to 3.3 citations per article. The number of citations of CEBP publications increased by 32%, from 1,990 citations in 1997 to 2,628 in 1998.
In 1999, several new features were added to the Journal. In January, we published our first Point-Counterpoint series, wherein two eminent investigators presented their opposing views on controversial issues of interest to our readers, i.e., dietary fat and risk of breast cancer. In the spring, a Special Issue on Psychosocial Aspects of Cancer Genetic Testing was published. Another new category, News, lists newly awarded National Cancer Institute grants that might provide insights into future directions of research. Soon, we will introduce Null Results in Brief. These one-page original reports will describe relevant negative findings, in order to reduce the problem of publication bias.
Several months ago, we mourned the passing of one of our outstanding members, Ernst Wynder, an international figure in research on tobacco and cancer, who served skillfully on the Board since the inception of the Journal in 1991. His insights and contributions over several decades are landmarks in cancer epidemiology and public health. Partly as a result of Wynder’s work, United States courts have finally held cigarette manufacturers responsible for the epidemic of tobacco-related cancers in the United States. However, responsibility and liability issues have not been fully resolved. American and other tobacco companies continue to export their products to the Third World, where a cancer pandemic is forthcoming.
As the new millennium begins, we look forward with great anticipation to continued advances in delineating the causes of cancer and identifying effective strategies for cancer control. CEBP will continue to keep readers at the forefront of this important journey.
RSS Feeds