Journal decision profile

Cancer Research

Medicine · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Cancer Research's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 0.5, ranking Q4 in Cancer Research and 2 other subfields. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

American Association for Cancer ResearchUnited StatespISSN 0008-5472eISSN 1538-7445
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Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
0.5

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 0.67.

Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED
235 daysmedian

Middle 50%: 176–304 days

98 of 100 PubMed-indexed articles · 98% coverage · 2024–2025

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
Not available

No journal-level APC is available in the current OpenAlex snapshot. Cost is excluded from scoring.

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At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iSubmission-to-acceptanceCalendar days from the received date to the accepted date in recent PubMed records. This includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not the time to first decision and not pure peer-review time. The radar uses a 0–100 cohort percentile with shorter observed timing plotted farther out; it does not measure review quality.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
i
Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
0.52026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
i
Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#3 / 2,448LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
i
Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
2.6%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
2.12MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
235 daysIQR 176–304 DAYS
Recent output
i
Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
8230 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share2.6%

842 of 32,920 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share0.4%

126 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI2.12×

Above field-year expectation

Source output rank#3

of 2,448 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 2.12, so its typical recent paper runs about 112% above its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

2.6% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2016–2025

85372016
88162017
87122018
82052019
72562020
53342021
77392022
87342023
111132024
82662025

Recent work-type mix

32,920 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Conference abstract94.6%
Article5%
Review0.1%
Erratum0.1%
Retraction0.1%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and medical subject coverage

OpenAlex topics show research communities; MeSH keeps the medical taxonomy recognizable.

Major MeSH signals

PubMed-indexed works

Select a MeSH signal to see how much Cancer Research publishes on it, from PubMed counts for the last five complete years.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers2735
Breast Cancer Treatment Studies1949
Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics1369
Pancreatic and Hepatic Oncology Research1242
Cancer Cells and Metastasis799
Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research767
Advanced Breast Cancer Therapies754
Glioma Diagnosis and Treatment732
HER2/EGFR in Cancer Research729
Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations676
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-10-27. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 32,920 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
Cancer ResearchQ4
Molecular BiologyQ4
BiotechnologyQ4

Is Cancer Research a good journal?

A lower-cited Q4 journal by citation data

By citation data, Cancer Research is in the lowest quartile in Cancer Research and 2 other subfields and ranks #820 of 897 Oncology journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 92%). A Q4 placement means its papers are cited less than most in the subfield; on its own it does not mean the journal is predatory or that its peer review is weak. Cancer Research's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 0.5. Recent papers took a median of 235 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Cancer Research, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology, so check that your topic fits its scope.

Best quartile
Q4
Cancer Research
Rank in Oncology
#820 of 897
Top 92%
2026 Journal Metrics Score
0.5
Acceptance rate
Not published
By the journal or publisher
Submission to acceptance
235 days
Median, PubMed records
Papers published in 2025
8,264
OpenAlex works

Check before you submit

  • Confirm the journal is indexed where your institution or funder requires (for example Scopus or PubMed) before you submit.

Verdict from citation data only: quartile and field rank by Journal Metrics Score (OpenAlex), publisher-reported acceptance rates, and PubMed submission and acceptance dates. See how we rank journals and how to verify indexing.

Q4
Subfield Quartile
B1
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#820
of 897 Oncology field journals
#51
among Q4 Oncology journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
159,471
H-Index
469
Fully Open Access
No
Recent OA Works
12,681
Subject Areas
Cancer ResearchMolecular BiologyBiotechnology

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

How to submit to Cancer Research

  1. 1

    Check the scope

    OpenAlex classifies Cancer Research's papers in subfields including Cancer Research, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology. Read the aims and scope page and a few recent papers close to your topic before you prepare the manuscript.

  2. 2

    Follow the author guidelines

    Article types, word and figure limits, reference style, and the required statements (data availability, ethics, conflicts of interest, author contributions) are set by the journal. Prepare the cover letter and files to match them.

    Cancer Research homepage ↗
  3. 3

    Submit online

    Use the submit link in Cancer Research's author guidelines; American Association for Cancer Research runs the submission site. Every author usually needs an ORCID iD, and the corresponding author needs an account on the submission site.

  4. 4

    Plan for costs

    OpenAlex has no article processing charge on record. Check the journal website for page charges or an optional open-access fee.

  5. 5

    Know what to expect

    Recent accepted papers took a median of 235 days from submission to acceptance, including revisions (PubMed dates). Cancer Research does not publish an acceptance rate.

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Common questions about Cancer Research

Is Cancer Research a good journal?

By citation data, Cancer Research is in the lowest quartile in Cancer Research and 2 other subfields and ranks #820 of 897 Oncology journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 92%). A Q4 placement means its papers are cited less than most in the subfield; on its own it does not mean the journal is predatory or that its peer review is weak. Cancer Research's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 0.5. Recent papers took a median of 235 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Cancer Research, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology, so check that your topic fits its scope.

What is Cancer Research's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

Cancer Research's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 0.5, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What is the acceptance rate of Cancer Research?

We have not found an official acceptance rate published by Cancer Research or its publisher, and Journal Metrics does not estimate one because submission counts are not public. What recent PubMed records do show is speed: accepted papers took a median of 235 days from submission to acceptance. To judge selectivity, compare Cancer Research's quartile and score with similar journals, or ask the editorial office.

What quartile is Cancer Research in?

Cancer Research's best quartile is Q4. By OpenAlex subfield: Q4 in Cancer Research; Q4 in Molecular Biology; Q4 in Biotechnology. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for Cancer Research will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

How long does Cancer Research take from submission to acceptance?

Across 98 recent PubMed records with both dates, Cancer Research took a median of 235 days from submission to acceptance; the middle half took 176–304 days. This interval includes editorial handling and revisions, so it is not the time to a first decision.

Which journals are alternatives to Cancer Research?

Comparable journals include Nature Cancer, Cancer Treatment Reviews, Npj Breast Cancer, and Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

How do I submit a paper to Cancer Research?

Submit online through the link in Cancer Research's author guidelines on the journal homepage. Before submitting, check the scope, follow the author guidelines for article type, length, and required statements, and prepare a cover letter. Accepted papers took a median of 235 days from submission to acceptance in recent PubMed records.

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