To mark the 35th anniversary of Annals of Oncology, this interview with Prof. Jean-Charles Soria, Editor-in-Chief from 2014 to 2017, highlights the journal's evolution.
He discusses key advances in oncology, challenges faced during his tenure, and efforts to refine the journal’s focus, improve its impact factor, and expand its editorial team. Prof. Soria also reflects on major milestones and offers advice for emerging researchers.
How was oncology when you became Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Oncology, and what contributions did the journal make to the field at that time?
When I was appointed Editor-in-Chief in January 2014, the oncology landscape was shifting rapidly. Key developments included a new tumour classification based on oncogenic events and pathway activation, a substantial expansion in early drug development with the advent of large phase I trials, and the rise of immuno-oncology and precision medicine initiatives. At that time, Annals of Oncology was a top-tier oncology journal but was perceived primarily as a clinical publication, not yet fully embracing emerging areas such as biomarker-driven drug development and immuno-oncology, nor attracting enough phase III trials.
What major challenges did you face in your role, and how did you address them?
I faced three main challenges:
- To define clear priorities for the journal and enhance its perception within the community.
- To recruit a new Associate Editorial team that reflected modern oncology and the journal’s updated priorities.
- To establish a key performance indicator (KPI) to measure the journal’s success.
Together with the Associate Editors, we clarified the journal’s strategic direction through key initiatives:
- Focusing the content on systemic anticancer therapies.
- Introducing new sections covering onco-immunology, precision medicine, biotechnologies, bioinformatics, early drug development, and preclinical and experimental science.
- Creating unique forums, such as the Statistical Controversies in Clinical Research series and the Industry Corner: Perspectives and Controversies.
To improve the journal’s perception, we:
- Updated the layout of the printed journal to a more modern format.
- Completely redesigned Annals of Oncology’s digital presence, achieving a broader and more engaging online profile with enhanced graphics, improved access to free content, and interactive features.
- Significantly reduced the time to decision and the time to publication.
I was fortunate to have many distinguished colleagues join the newly-formed Associate Editorial Board, including Josep Tabernero, Andres Cervantes, Fabrice André, Christos Sotiriou, Gert Attard, Maria De Santis, Johan Vansteenkiste, Tetsuya Mitsudomi, Kapil Dhingra, Anthony Chan, Sandro Pignata, Caroline Robert, Alexandra Snyder, Christophe Massard, Pier Luigi Zinzani, Kunihiro Tsukasaki, Karin Jordan, Paulo Boffetta, Olivier Mir, Thomas Helleday, Charles Swanton, Elaine Mardis, Mauro Delorenzi, George Coukos, Marc Buyse, and Ignacio Wistuba. My successor, Fabrice André, was among those editors, and I am pleased to note that even today, in 2024, a third of the original 2014 Associate Editors remain in these roles.
After much discussion, and in alignment with the ESMO Board, we determined that the journal’s KPI would be the improvement of the impact factor (IF). The moral target set in 2014 was an IF above 12 within three years, with a stretch goal of reaching an IF of 12 by 2017. While I acknowledge the limitations of the IF as a metric, it serves as a strong surrogate for a scientific journal’s quality.
Can you share a memorable moment during your tenure that highlights the journal's impact on oncology?
When Annals of Oncology’s impact factor surpassed 10 (reaching exactly 11.855 in June 2017), it was a significant milestone. The late José Baselga had told me in 2014, when I assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief, that such a goal was unattainable. Achieving it within three years was a tremendous victory, and seeing the IF rise to 56.7 in 2024 reflects the exceptional work of Fabrice Andre and the Editorial Board Members since 2018.
What advice would you give to emerging researchers who wish to publish in Annals of Oncology?
Submit only your very best work to Annals of Oncology: it will be considered fairly, promptly, and if published, it is likely to be highly cited, significantly increasing the visibility of your scientific and medical contributions.