Peer Review Policy

Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine (CSMM) is committed to maintaining rigorous, fair, and transparent peer review for every manuscript.

Type of Peer Review

CSMM operates a double-blind peer review process, in which the identities of authors and reviewers are withheld from one another throughout the review, ensuring evaluation based solely on scientific merit.

Initial Editorial Screening

All submissions are first screened by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated handling editor to assess relevance to the journal's scope, originality, and adherence to submission guidelines. Manuscripts that do not meet these baseline criteria may be rejected without proceeding to external review.

Plagiarism Screening

Manuscripts passing initial screening are checked for originality using iThenticate, in accordance with the journal's Plagiarism Policy.

Reviewer Assignment

Manuscripts are sent to a minimum of two independent reviewers with relevant subject-matter expertise in cancer biology or molecular oncology. Additional reviewers may be assigned at the editor's discretion where needed.

Review Criteria

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts on:

  • Originality and scientific significance
  • Methodological rigor and validity
  • Clarity and quality of presentation
  • Relevance to the journal's scope
  • Ethical compliance, including appropriate approvals for human or animal research

Editorial Decision

Based on reviewer recommendations, the Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision to accept, reject, or request revisions. Where revisions are required, authors must submit a point-by-point response to reviewer comments.

Timeline

The typical time from submission to first editorial decision is 12–14 weeks, depending on reviewer availability and the extent of any revisions required.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts and reviewer communications are treated as strictly confidential throughout the review process.

Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any conflict of interest and decline to review manuscripts where one exists, consistent with the journal's Conflict of Interest Policy.