Aims and Scope

Cancer is a complex problem. The international effort to understand and control it involves clinicians trained in many branches of medicine and scientists from almost all of the biological disciplines and beyond. British Journal of Cancer (BJC) exists to serve the needs of this diverse community, providing a forum for communicating original and innovative research findings that have relevance to understanding the etiology of cancer and to improving the treatment and survival of patients. BJC works with a distinguished team of international experts to ensure the highest standards of selection and review. All relevant papers are carefully considered. Once accepted, papers are published rapidly in print and online.

Full research papers and short communications are published under five broad headings:

• clinical studies
• translational therapeutics
• molecular diagnostics
• genetics and genomics
• epidemiology

BJC regularly invites minireviews from international authorities on topics of current interest. Some longer reviews, and book reviews are also published, usually by editor's invitation. Editorials and letters to the editor on matters arising from published papers are also published at the editor's discretion.

The BJC is owned by Cancer Research UK, a charity dedicated to understanding the causes, prevention and treatment of cancer and to making sure that new treatments reach patients in the clinic as quickly as possible. The journal reflects these aims. It was founded more than fifty years ago and, from the start, its far-sighted mission was to encourage communication of the very best cancer research from laboratories and clinics in all countries. Broad coverage, its editorial independence and consistent high standards have made BJC one of the world's premier general cancer journals.

BJC is published twice monthly on behalf of Cancer Research UK by Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Ltd.