Purpose

The Chinese Journal of Cancer Prevention & Treatment (CJCPT) is committed to protecting the dignity, privacy, and rights of individuals participating in research. Authors are responsible for ensuring that informed consent is obtained and documented in accordance with applicable ethical and legal requirements before conducting research involving human participants.

Informed Consent Requirement

For all research involving human participants, authors must confirm that voluntary informed consent was obtained before participants were enrolled in the study. Participants should be provided with sufficient information regarding the purpose of the research, study procedures, potential risks and benefits, and their right to withdraw without penalty.

For participants who are minors or are unable to provide informed consent, permission must be obtained from a parent, legal guardian, or other legally authorized representative.

Publication of Identifiable Information

When a manuscript contains identifiable personal information, clinical details, photographs, videos, or other images that could reveal a participant's identity, authors must obtain explicit written consent for publication from the individual or, where appropriate, from their legally authorized representative. Every effort should be made to protect participant anonymity whenever identification is not essential to the scientific content.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Personal data and confidential information obtained during clinical care or research—including information arising from the doctor–patient relationship—must be handled with the highest level of confidentiality and professional discretion. Such information should not be disclosed unless it is scientifically justified, legally required, and supported by appropriate informed consent. Authors must ensure that privacy is protected throughout the research, review, and publication processes.

Documentation

The journal may request evidence of informed consent or related ethical documentation during editorial assessment. Authors should retain the original consent records in accordance with institutional and regulatory requirements and provide documentation upon reasonable request. To protect participant privacy, consent forms should not be submitted for publication unless specifically requested by the Editorial Office.

Editorial Responsibility

Editors may request clarification or additional documentation if informed consent procedures are unclear or insufficiently described. Manuscripts that fail to demonstrate appropriate informed consent or adequate protection of participant privacy may be returned for revision or rejected.

Compliance with International Standards

CJCPT expects all authors to conduct research involving human participants in accordance with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the ethical guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and all applicable institutional, national, and international regulations governing human subject research.

Policy Review

This policy may be updated periodically to reflect developments in research ethics, privacy regulations, and international publishing standards. Authors are encouraged to consult the latest version before submitting their manuscripts.