Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosures (Specific to Reviewers)

Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine (CSMM) requires reviewers to disclose any conflicts of interest before agreeing to evaluate a manuscript, consistent with COPE's Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers and the journal's general Conflict of Interest Policy.

What Reviewers Must Disclose

Before accepting a review invitation, reviewers must disclose any:

  • Financial interest in the outcome of the manuscript — including funding relationships, consultancies, equity, or paid advisory roles with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or diagnostic companies relevant to the manuscript's subject matter
  • Personal or professional relationship with the author(s) — current or recent collaborator, family member, current or former student/supervisor
  • Institutional affiliation shared with the author(s) where objectivity could reasonably be questioned
  • Direct competing research interest in the same specific research question, including concurrent work on a similar study

Where a Conflict Exists

Reviewers must decline the review invitation where a genuine conflict exists, rather than proceeding and disclosing it after the fact. If a conflict becomes apparent only after a review has begun, the reviewer must notify the editorial office immediately and withdraw from the review.

Confidentiality and Personal Advantage

Reviewers must not use information, data, or ideas obtained through the review process for personal or professional advantage, including in their own research, before the manuscript is published.

Financial Disclosure Beyond the Specific Manuscript

Reviewers with a general pattern of financial relationships with companies operating in the journal's subject area (e.g., ongoing industry consultancy) are encouraged to disclose this to the editorial office when joining the reviewer pool, so editors can make informed decisions about manuscript assignment.

Non-Compliance

Reviewers found to have concealed a genuine conflict of interest will be removed from CSMM's reviewer pool and may be reported to their institution, consistent with the journal's Conflict of Interest Policy.