Citation Policy
The journal actively monitors all submitted manuscripts for inappropriate citation practices, including reference citation manipulation. All article types, research and non-research (e.g., Reviews, Commentaries, Opinions), must include accurate and appropriate citations to support all claims, data interpretations, and referenced concepts. Authors are expected to engage with the relevant literature in a balanced and ethical manner.
Citation Manipulation
The following behaviors constitute citation manipulation and are strictly prohibited:
- Excessive self-citation of an author’s previous work without clear scholarly justification.
- Coordinated self-citation practices among a group of authors or institutions.
- Gratuitous or unnecessary citation of articles published in the journal to which the manuscript is submitted (i.e., journal self-citation intended to inflate metrics).
- Preferential citation of work by colleagues, mentors, or members of the same institution without objective relevance.
Such practices are strictly prohibited and will be treated as a breach of publication ethics. Authors are expected to ensure that all references are directly relevant, accurate, and necessary to support the scholarly content of their work. Manuscripts submitted to Cancer Biome and Targeted Therapy found to involve citation manipulation will not be considered for publication.
Editorial and Peer Review Conduct
Editors and reviewers must not request citations. Any attempts to inappropriately influence citation patterns should be reported to the publisher.
Last updated: September 2025
