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Call for papers - Cancer prevention

Guest Editors:
Kajal Gokal: Loughborough University, England
Jianguang Ji: Lund University, Sweden
Brigid Lynch: Cancer Council Victoria, Australia
Noah Peeri: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA
Hongmei Zeng: Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China
Wen Zhang: Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China
Xiaotao "Rony" Zhang: The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 11 October 2024


BMC Medicine is calling for submissions to our Collection on cancer prevention.

Cancer remains a formidable challenge, being the second most common cause of death globally. Over the years, significant progress has been made in understanding risk factors as well as developing preventive and therapeutic strategies. However, many essential gaps remain to be addressed. This collection seeks to highlight developments in understanding the molecular, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle determinants that contribute to cancer development, and potential strategies to prevent their occurrence. 

Meet the Guest Editors

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Kajal Gokal: Loughborough University, England

Dr Gokal is a senior researcher in Behavioral Medicine at the Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behavior (CLiMB) in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. Her research focuses on the implementation of behavior change interventions to support the uptake and maintenance of physical activity for both primary and secondary cancer prevention. This involves addressing the barriers to physical activity during and after treatment as well as providing support and the tools to manage and monitor progress. She has a strong interest in how new approaches involving both digital technology and self-managed physical activity can help achieve this goal.

Jianguang Ji: Lund University, Sweden

Dr Jianguang Ji, MD, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer at the Clinical Research Centre (CRC), Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö at Lund University. His research has a strong focus on the influence of genetic and environmental factors on cancer incidence and mortality. By using data from nationwide registers and national and regional surveys, the main aim of his research is to shed new light on potential genetic and environmental factors associated with the development of various types of cancer, with a main focus on cancer prevention.

Brigid Lynch: Cancer Council Victoria, Australia

Associate Professor Brigid M. Lynch is Deputy Head of the Cancer Epidemiology Division at Cancer Council Victoria and an Honorary Principal Fellow at the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on how physical activity is associated with cancer risk, biological mechanisms underlying risk, and health outcomes for cancer survivors. Her research interests include applying causal inference methods to help advance the field of physical activity epidemiology. Brigid is a Principal Investigator of the Australian Breakthrough Cancer Study, an ongoing cohort study of over 50,000 Australians investigating the role that genes, lifestyle and environment play in the development of cancer and other diseases.

Noah Peeri: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA

Dr Peeri is a Research Scholar at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. He received his Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of South Florida, and his Doctorate in Epidemiology from the University of North Texas Health Science Center. He has training in advanced epidemiologic methods, as well as nutritional and cancer epidemiology. Much of his research has focused on the intersection of environmental and genetic risk factors and their role in cancer etiology, specifically primary central nervous system tumors. Currently, his research focuses on reducing cancer health disparities across several cancer types.

Hongmei Zeng: Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China

Prof Hongmei Zeng received her PhD degree from Peking University and was a visiting scholar at Yale University and Harvard University.  She serves as deputy director of the National Central Cancer Registry, and is a core member of the Chinese National Cancer Registration and Follow-up Program. She has published more than 100 articles on cancer epidemiology, which have been cited more than 30,000 times by researchers.  Some of her research has provided a benchmark for Chinese health plans such as “Healthy China 2030 Blueprint” and has been cited by the WHO Health Policy Framework.

Wen Zhang: Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China

Prof Wen Zhang received a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2011 and is a specialist in cancer biotherapy, Immuno-Oncology, and liquid biopsy. His research focuses on immunotherapy, including the application of oncolytic viruses, the correlation between immunotherapy and tumor microenvironment, and cell therapy. Furthermore, a significant portion of his efforts has been dedicated to the field of liquid biopsy, with a particular emphasis on the clinical implementation of circulating tumor cells. He is an Editorial Board Member for BMC Medicine.

Xiaotao "Rony" Zhang: The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA

Dr Xiaotao ‘Rony’ Zhang is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine with expertise in microbiome, nutritional epidemiology, and cancer epidemiology. Rony earned his medical degree in Preventive Medicine in China. With a growing interest in disease prevention at the level of population health, he emigrated to the US to continue his education and training in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at Tulane University in New Orleans and The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. His research and experience are primarily focused on nutrition, the microbiome, liver diseases, and cancer prevention. By merging epidemiologic methods with innovative techniques and bioinformatic/statistical strategies, his current research examines the role of biological and modifiable factors in fatty liver diseases and liver cancer. He hopes to unravel risk factors and mechanisms to inform the development of new preventive interventions and clinical strategies.

About the collection

BMC Medicine is calling for submissions to our Collection on cancer prevention.

Cancer remains a formidable challenge, being the second most common cause of death globally. In 2020, newly diagnosed cancer cases stood at 18 million worldwide, and these annual incidence rates are projected to increase by 55% by year 2040. This poses a massive clinical, social, and economic burden. As we navigate the perplexities of this disease, the importance of cancer prevention is becoming increasingly apparent. Over the years, significant progress has been made in understanding risk factors as well as developing preventive and therapeutic strategies. However, many essential gaps remain to be addressed, and further preventive advances in the field are necessary to reverse the trend of a growing global cancer burden.

This Collection seeks to highlight developments in understanding the molecular, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle determinants that contribute to cancer development, and potential strategies to prevent their occurrence. We welcome submissions that explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:

  • Emerging biomarkers and risk assessment: Delve into the latest discoveries in identifying biomarkers that can predict individual cancer risk   
  • Lifestyle interventions: Explore the impact of lifestyle choices such as diet, physical activity, smoking cessation, and alcohol consumption on cancer prevention  
  • Environmental and occupational exposures: Examine the role of environmental pollutants, occupational hazards, and other related exposures in cancer etiology
  • Vaccination strategies: Present novel insights into cancer prevention through vaccination, including both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines
  • Chemoprevention and targeted therapies: Highlight advances in chemoprevention agents and targeted therapies that interfere with early carcinogenesis
  • Screening and early detection: Discuss innovative approaches to cancer screening and early detection technologies, including novel imaging modalities, liquid biopsies, and artificial intelligence applications for accurate and timely diagnosis
  • Preventing recurrence: Explore innovative methods and treatments designed to prevent cancer recurrence
  • Global implementation: Analyze the challenges and opportunities of implementing widespread cancer prevention measures, particularly in regions with limited resources


This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

Image credit: Siam / stock.adobe.com

  1. Adverse pregnancy outcomes have reached epidemic proportions in recent years with serious health ramifications, especially for diverse cancers risk. Therefore, we carried out an umbrella review to systematical...

    Authors: Na Liu, Rui-Han Bao, Yu-Jiao Chang, Fang-Hua Liu, Lang Wu, Jia-Yi Wang, Zi-Ping Niu, Shuai Ma, Yi-Xuan Men, Ke-Xin Liu, Dong-Hui Huang, Qian Xiao, Song Gao, Yue-Yang Zhao, Jian-Hua Fu, Qi-Jun Wu…
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:454
  2. A blood-based diagnostic test is a promising strategy for colorectal cancer (CRC). The MethyDT test (IColohunter), which detects methylation levels of NTMT1 and MAP3K14-AS1, exhibited potential in discriminating ...

    Authors: Zhijie Wang, Zixuan He, Rong Lin, Zhijie Feng, Xiuling Li, Xiangyu Sui, Lun Gu, Tian Xia, Dihan Zhou, Bali Zhao, Yanqing Li, Zhaoshen Li and Yu Bai
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:436
  3. Physical activity reduces colorectal cancer risk, yet the diurnal timing of physical activity in colorectal cancer etiology remains unclear.

    Authors: Michael J. Stein, Hansjörg Baurecht, Patricia Bohmann, Béatrice Fervers, Emma Fontvieille, Heinz Freisling, Christine M. Friedenreich, Julian Konzok, Laia Peruchet-Noray, Anja M. Sedlmeier, Michael F. Leitzmann and Andrea Weber
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:399
  4. The spatiotemporal epidemiological evidence supporting joint endoscopic screening for esophageal cancer (EC) and gastric cancer (GC) remains limited. This study aims to identify combined high-risk regions for ...

    Authors: Peng Li, Xin Qi, Ruhai Bai, Mei Yang, Jing Jing, Ruyi Xia, Jizhao Wang, Guangjian Zhang and Guihua Zhuang
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:364
  5. Sex disparity between metabolic-obesity (defined by body mass index, BMI) phenotypes and obesity-related cancer (ORC) remains unknown. Considering BMI reflecting overall obesity but not fat distribution, we ai...

    Authors: Jianxiao Gong, Fubin Liu, Yu Peng, Peng Wang, Changyu Si, Xixuan Wang, Huijun Zhou, Jiale Gu, Ailing Qin and Fangfang Song
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:355
  6. Early detection and treatment are effective methods for the management of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which can be facilitated by the detection of tumor-specific OSCC biomarkers. The epidermal growth ...

    Authors: Nenghao Jin, Yu An, Yu Tian, Zeyu Zhang, Kunshan He, Chongwei Chi, Wei Mu, Jie Tian and Yang Du
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:342
  7. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition characterized by the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Despite its widespread prevalence worldwide, the causal link between GERD and va...

    Authors: Gujie Wu, Yaqiong Liu, Dong Ning, Mengnan Zhao, Xiaoqing Li, Lu Chang, Qili Hu, Yao Li, Lin Cheng and Yiwei Huang
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:323
  8. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Biomarker discovery has led to advances in understanding molecular phenotyping and thus has a great potential for precision manageme...

    Authors: K-V. Savva, A. MacKenzie, R. C. Coombes, N. M. Zhifang, B. G. Hanna and C. J. Peters
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:307
  9. Evidence from observational studies indicates that lung cancer screening (LCS) guidelines with high rates of lung cancer (LC) underdiagnosis, and although current screening guidelines have been updated and eli...

    Authors: Yanyan Tang, Lina Zhou, Fei Wang, Yao Huang, Jianwei Wang, Shijun Zhao, Linlin Qi, Li Liu, Min Liang, Donghui Hou, Zhijian Xu, Kai Zhang, Wei Tang and Ning Wu
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:267
  10. Thyroid nodule (TN) patients in China are subject to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The implementation of existing technologies such as thyroid ultrasonography has indeed contributed to the improved diagnost...

    Authors: Feihang Wang, Danyang Zhao, Wang-yang Xu, Yiying Liu, Huiyi Sun, Shanshan Lu, Yuan Ji, Jingjing Jiang, Yi Chen, Qiye He, Chengxiang Gong, Rui Liu, Zhixi Su, Yi Dong, Zhiping Yan and Lingxiao Liu
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:147
  11. Carbohydrates have been implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, but the specific impact of carbohydrate quality and quantity on CRC susceptibility in US populations remains unclear.

    Authors: Yi Xiao, Ling Xiang, Yahui Jiang, Yunhao Tang, Haitao Gu, Yaxu Wang and Linglong Peng
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:97
  12. While circulating metabolites have been increasingly linked to cancer risk, the causality underlying these associations remains largely uninterrogated.

    Authors: Yaxin Chen, Yufang Xie, Hang Ci, Zhengpei Cheng, Yongjie Kuang, Shuqing Li, Gang Wang, Yawen Qi, Jun Tang, Dan Liu, Weimin Li and Yaohua Yang
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:90
  13. Black men have higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and higher prostate cancer incidence and mortality than White men, while Asian men tend to have lower prostate cancer incidence and mortality than W...

    Authors: Liz Down, Melissa Barlow, Sarah E. R. Bailey, Luke T. A. Mounce, Samuel W. D. Merriel, Jessica Watson and Tanimola Martins
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:82
  14. Annual screening through low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is recommended for heavy smokers. However, it is questionable whether all individuals require annual screening given the potential harms of LDCT scr...

    Authors: Yin Liu, Huifang Xu, Lihong Lv, Xiaoyang Wang, Ruihua Kang, Xiaoli Guo, Hong Wang, Liyang Zheng, Hongwei Liu, Lanwei Guo, Qiong Chen, Shuzheng Liu, Youlin Qiao and Shaokai Zhang
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:73
  15. Mammography screening programmes (MSP) aim to reduce breast cancer mortality by shifting diagnoses to earlier stages. However, it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of current MSP because analyses can ...

    Authors: Laura Buschmann, Ina Wellmann, Nadine Bonberg, Jürgen Wellmann, Hans-Werner Hense, André Karch and Heike Minnerup
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2024 22:43
  16. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF)/American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) Cancer Prevention Recommendations are lifestyle-based recommendations which aim to reduce cancer risk. This study investigate...

    Authors: Fiona C. Malcomson, Solange Parra-Soto, Frederick K. Ho, Liya Lu, Carlos Celis-Morales, Linda Sharp and John C. Mathers
    Citation: BMC Medicine 2023 21:407

    The Comment to this article has been published in BMC Global and Public Health 2024 2:7

Submission Guidelines

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BMC Medicine encourages submissions of front matter articles and original research, including clinical trials (phase I-III, randomized-controlled, either positive or negative trials), epidemiological studies (retrospective or prospective), systematic reviews and meta-analyses, -omics, medical imaging, genomics studies and biomarkers research. Before submitting your manuscript, please ensure you have read our submission guidelines

To submit your manuscript to this Collection, please use our online submission system and indicate in your covering letter that you would like the article to be considered for inclusion in the "Cancer prevention" Collection.

All articles submitted to Collections are peer-reviewed in line with the journal’s standard peer-review policy and are subject to all of the journal’s standard editorial and publishing policies. This includes the journal’s policy on competing interests. 

The Guest Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Guest Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editor or Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.