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EORTC - European Journal of Cancer (EJC) Collaboration

John F. SMYTH Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Cancer The Editorial Office, European Journal of Cancer, Elsevier Science, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1 GB United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1865 84 36 20 Fax: +44 (0) 1865 84 39 77 E-mail: john.smyth@cancer.org.uk

Impact factor is not the only way to assess the value of a journal but in 2006 the European Journal of Cancer achieved its highest ever impact factor at 4.167 and the EJC Supplements scored 2.396.

These figures are particularly pleasing given the multidisciplinary nature of EJC which has to compete with an increasing number of specialist cancer journals in a world of electronic readership. The large number of manuscripts submitted continues year on year at a comparable rate and the editors are challenged by having to reject approximately 80%, but this emphasises the success for the 20% who succeed!

The reputation of the journal is maintained by very rapid response to authors and overall publication time (submission to publication in print averaging 33 weeks.) The average time to publish corrected proofs on-line is approximately 6 weeks. On-line usage of EJC on Science Direct has increased dramatically in recent years and the majority of Institutions subscribing to EJC receive the journal in electronic format. Overall the circulation of EJC is now more than 3 times greater than when the journal was published in print only format. Last year there were more than 600 000 full text downloads electronically. Of the top 10 most frequently downloaded articles for 2007 four were clinical and six experimental papers, and two of the four clinical papers were EORTC Guidelines. The top ten most highly cited papers published in 2006 showed an equal balance between clinical and experimental papers. This is encouraging to the Editors whose major challenge is to seek an appropriate balance between the different categories of manuscripts published in the European Journal of Cancer.

Study of citations clearly highlights the value of commissioned reviews and especially the themed special issues. Recently we have published a special issue on Cancer Management in the Elderly and future special issues will cover Palliative Care, RECIST Revisited and Eurocare 4. The Editors greatly welcome suggestions for topics to be covered by special issues and are pleased to announce that the new European CanCer Organisation (ECCO) which has replaced FECS retains the same official status for EJC. Their interactive webpage (www.ecco-org.eu) offers not only promotion of EJC papers but also the opportunity to comment in any relevant way through the EJC blogs. We greatly welcome
communication via this new opportunity.

The editors of EJC are most grateful for the contributions from members of EORTC both in the submission of original research and help in refereeing submitted manuscripts.