Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Scope & Indexing

The Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice is the leading international peer-reviewed serial focused on the post-treatment health, psychosocial well-being, and care delivery for cancer survivors. As oncology therapies improve survival rates, authors and administrators evaluating the journal of cancer survivorship publishing landscape require clear guidance on scope, indexing, and submission standards. This guide outlines the journal’s focus within oncology, author requirements, and peer alternatives.

What it is

The Journal of Cancer Survivorship (official subtitle: Research and Practice; ISO/NLM abbreviation: J Cancer Surviv) is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal published by Springer Nature. Established in March 2007 by founding Editor-in-Chief Michael Feuerstein, PhD, MPH, the journal addresses post-treatment survivorship care, functional outcomes, and long-term health globally.

The publication carries print ISSN 1932-2259, electronic ISSN 1932-2267, and National Library of Medicine identifier NLM ID 101307557. In scholarly communication, the primary phrase journal of cancer survivorship designates this focused title, distinguishing it from acute medical oncology journals that center primarily on tumor ablation or surgical interventions.

Who runs it and what it covers

The Journal of Cancer Survivorship is published under Springer Nature. Editorial direction is led by Editor-in-Chief Michael Feuerstein (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences) alongside an international editorial board spanning medical oncology, behavioral psychology, nursing science, and health services research.

The journal covers the post-treatment survivorship continuum across five core areas:

• Late and Long-Term Physiological Effects: Surveillance and clinical management of treatment-induced complications, including cardiotoxicity, secondary malignancies, lymphedema, premature menopause, chronic fatigue, and neuropathy.
• Psychosocial Functioning and Quality of Life: Investigations into fear of cancer recurrence, depression, anxiety, cancer-related cognitive impairment, body image changes, and interpersonal relationships.
• Health Behaviors and Lifestyle Interventions: Structured physical exercise protocols, nutritional rehabilitation, smoking cessation, and behavioral self-management interventions.
• Healthcare Delivery and Survivorship Models: Research evaluating survivorship care plans, transition to primary care, specialized follow-up clinics, telemedicine models, and healthcare equity.
• Economic and Occupational Outcomes: Studies on return to work, vocational rehabilitation, workplace productivity, and financial toxicity affecting survivors.

Accepted formats include Original Research, Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses, Brief Reports, and Policy Perspectives. Laboratory studies on acute oncogenesis without a survivorship outcome are out of scope.

How to search or use it

Navigating and submitting to the Journal of Cancer Survivorship follows a structured six-step workflow via Springer Nature systems:

1. Confirm Scope and Author Guidelines: Verify that the research focuses on survivorship outcomes. Adhere to ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) uniform standards for ethical biomedical publishing.
2. Structure Manuscript and References: Format the text with standard sections: Title Page, Structured Abstract (Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions), Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Declarations. Include 4 to 6 indexing keywords. Format references in Vancouver numeric style, citing consecutively in square brackets.
3. Prepare Artwork and File Assets: Provide figures as separate TIFF or EPS files at minimum 300 dpi for photographic images and 600 to 1200 dpi for line art. Tables must be editable text.
4. Document Ethical Approvals: Include explicit declarations for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, informed consent, conflict of interest, funding awards, and data availability.
5. Submit via Springer Nature SNAPP: Navigate to link.springer.com/journal/11764 and select “Submit manuscript” to access the Springer Nature Author Portal (SNAPP). Sign in using ORCID credentials, upload text, figure files, and author metadata.
6. Select Publishing Model: Choose between traditional subscription publication without author fees or Open Access under Springer Open Choice. Authors covered by institutional read-and-publish agreements verify eligibility before confirming the final PDF proof.

Strengths and limits

Authors should consider the following strengths and limits when evaluating the publication:

Strengths:

• Dedicated Survivorship Venue: Offers concentrated readership among oncologists, nurses, psychologists, and survivorship researchers, avoiding dilution across general oncology titles.
• Extensive Indexing: Indexed in MEDLINE, PubMed, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Embase, and PsycINFO.
• Strong Citation Metrics: Holds a recognized Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and high Scopus ranking in oncology and rehabilitation.
• Interdisciplinary Bridge: Dual SCIE and SSCI coverage supports submissions across both clinical and psychosocial disciplines.

Limits:

• Narrow Topical Boundary: Preclinical pharmacology, early-phase cytotoxic drug screening, and acute surgical techniques without long-term follow-up are excluded.
• Hybrid Publishing Costs: Operates as a hybrid journal. While subscription publication incurs no fees, open access requires an Article Processing Charge (APC) unless supported by transformative agreements. Authors can compare options in our guide on Gold vs Green vs Diamond vs Hybrid Open Access.
• Single-Blind Review: Reviewers know author identities, requiring reliance on editorial oversight to ensure impartial evaluation.

Alternatives

Researchers can evaluate several alternative peer-reviewed titles in oncology and supportive care:

Journal Title	Publisher	Publishing Model	Scope Emphasis	Key Indexing
Journal of Cancer Survivorship	Springer Nature	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Dedicated post-treatment survivorship, quality of life, late effects, and care models	MEDLINE, PubMed, SCIE, SSCI, Scopus
Supportive Care in Cancer	Springer Nature / MASCC	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Supportive and palliative care throughout active therapy and post-treatment follow-up	MEDLINE, PubMed, SCIE, Scopus
Psycho-Oncology	Wiley	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Psychological, social, and behavioral dimensions of cancer care and survivorship	MEDLINE, PubMed, SSCI, Scopus
Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO)	ASCO	Hybrid (Optional OA)	High-impact clinical oncology trials, practice guidelines, and survivorship research	MEDLINE, PubMed, SCIE, Scopus
Cancer	Wiley / ACS	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Broad clinical oncology, cancer prevention, and patient outcome research	MEDLINE, PubMed, SCIE, Scopus
CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians	Wiley / ACS	Diamond / Gold Open Access	Comprehensive clinical reviews, survivorship guidelines, and cancer statistics	MEDLINE, PubMed, SCIE, Scopus

FAQ

What is the primary focus of the Journal of Cancer Survivorship?

The Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice focuses on the long-term medical, psychosocial, behavioral, and economic outcomes of cancer survivors. Its scope covers late effects of cancer therapies, symptom management, lifestyle interventions, health services delivery models, and survivorship policy.

Is the Journal of Cancer Survivorship a hybrid or open access journal?

The journal operates under a hybrid publishing model through Springer Nature’s Open Choice program. Authors can publish without fees under the traditional subscription model, or choose open access publication by paying an Article Processing Charge (APC). Authors at participating institutions can frequently cover APCs through institutional transformative agreements.

What is the official citation abbreviation for the journal?

The standardized title abbreviation assigned by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and ISO standards is J Cancer Surviv. This format is used across MEDLINE, PubMed, and biomedical reference lists.

Which indexing databases index the Journal of Cancer Survivorship?

The journal is indexed in MEDLINE, PubMed, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE / Web of Science), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Embase, PsycINFO, and Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

Sources

• National Library of Medicine (NLM) — NCBI Catalog Entry for Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice (NLM ID: 101307557, Print ISSN: 1932-2259, Electronic ISSN: 1932-2267, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/101307557, verified 2026-11-10).
• National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) — PubMed Editorial Record: Feuerstein M, “Optimizing cancer survivorship,” Journal of Cancer Survivorship, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1–4, DOI: 10.1007/s11764-006-0001-y (PMID: 18648938, https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/efetch.fcgi?db=pubmed&id=18648938&retmode=xml, verified 2026-11-10).
• Springer Nature — Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice Official Portal and Author Submission Guidelines (Journal ID: 11764, https://link.springer.com/journal/11764, verified 2026-11-10).