Cancer Survivorship Research and Care – translating passion into impact

It is now nearly 40 years since the term cancer survivor was first used and the first organization devoted to advocacy for cancer survivors – the US-based National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship – was established [1]. It took another 10 years before the establishment of the first government agency dedicated to cancer survivorship – the Office of Cancer Survivorship – and yet another 10 after that to the publication of the landmark report on the state of cancer survivorship in the United States [2] and the establishment of the first (and till now) the only journal dedicated to cancer survivorship. While the pace seems a little slow at the beginning, the last 5 years have witnessed a remarkable growth in the scope and impact of research relating to cancer survivorship including the development of a framework on quality of cancer survivorship [3], recognition of unique needs of cancer survivors living with metastatic disease [4] and considerations of global issues in cancer survivorship.[5,6]

It is thus timely that the new journal Cancer Survivorship Research and Care enters the world of cancer publications, not just to facilitate the rapid dissemination of growing research relating to cancer survivorship but to play an active role in accelerating impactful research. This acceleration can be achieved by making the journal a platform that brings forth diverse disciplines relevant to cancer survivorship, showcases areas of innovation, and prioritizes issues of concerns to survivors that had not been previously considered. Some examples of areas that remain relatively underrepresented in survivorship research include: preclinical and mechanistic studies examining common survivorship syndromes, survivorship epidemiology, policy, health economic research, and global and cross-cultural issues.

Advancing research is, of course, not just about identifying the areas for inquiry but also about actively supporting researchers. Cancer Survivorship Research and Care aims to do so by adopting processes and technologies to ensure rapid review and feedback, monitoring publication costs so they do not serve as a barrier to publication for those authors who come from limited resource settings (as of now publication fees are waived until January 2024) and promoting diversity of representation among authors, reviewers and the Editorial Board. The journal is keen to support patient voice in the publications and the first step in that process is appointment of an inaugural member of the Editorial Board who has a lived experience of cancer survivorship.

As an inaugural Editor in Chief of Cancer Survivorship Research and Care it is my honor to navigate the journal through its nascent phase, with the support of the Editorial Board who represent some of the brightest minds in the field of cancer survivorship around the globe. My vision is to connect and support all those around the globe for whom living long and living well after cancer diagnosis is a passion and to translate this passion into meaningful and lasting impact. To all the researchers, policy makers, clinicians and patient partners who want to share this vision, we are ready and waiting to hear from you!