Top lung cancer journals

As of 2024, lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, despite advances in treatment and early detection. Smoking is still the primary risk factor, with air pollution, asbestos, and radon gas contributing significantly to the risk. In response to the ongoing challenge of lung cancer, this article presents an updated list of premier journals. These publications offer cutting-edge research, clinical guidelines, and comprehensive reviews on lung cancer. Additionally, we've included influential journals on tobacco and nicotine research, providing valuable insights for policymakers and educators in tobacco control.

How journal quality is measured

Here you will find the top 10 lung cancer journals ranked by the 2-year Journal Impact Factor (2-JIF) – a measure of the frequency with which the articles within the journal are cited in a particular 2-year period. We have also included the SJR, SNIP, and H-index for each journal in our assessment to round off the picture.

Impact factor*

Impact factor is based on Web of Science data and only includes documents such as articles and reviews. It measures the average number of times an article is cited by other journal articles and documents. The JIF helps to understand the importance of how often articles are cited by addressing the bias that arises from comparing citation numbers which tends to favour bigger and older journals over smaller and newer ones. By considering the impact factor, we can more fairly compare journals by taking into account these differences in size, publication frequency, and age. A JIF of 3 or more is considered good and 1 is average.

CiteScore*

CiteScore is based on Scopus data for all indexed documents, including articles, letters and editorials. Like the impact factor, it measures the average citations received per document published in a journal over a 4-year time period.

*Impact factor and CiteScore have the most meaning when used to compare journals within the same therapeutic area or subject. Many academics value a journal’s impact factor over its Citescore; therefore they will use the impact factor to rank other journals in the same field.

SCImago Journal Rank (SJR)

SJR measures the citations received from a journal but it also considers the importance of the journal where the citations have come from. This measurement can be helpful to rank journals within the same field and category. An SJR >1.0 is above average.

Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP)

Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP) weights citations based on the total number of citations in a subject field to provide a contextual, subject-specific metric. A SNIP over 1.0 means a journal has more citations than average.

H-Index

H-Index is the number of papers published in a journal (h) that have been cited at least (h) times. For example, if a journal has published 50 papers and each of those papers have been cited by other authors at least 50 times, the H-index of the journal is 50. The higher the H-Index, the higher the quality of the journal.

Top 10 Lung Cancer Journals

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Journal of Thoracic Oncology

The Journal of Thoracic Oncology is the official journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. The journal is published monthly and recent articles include cannabis use, pulmonary function and lung cancer susceptibility, and tobacco smoking and lung cancer. The journal includes a wide range of original articles, statistical models and reviews that focus on the epidemiology, screening, prevention, and treatment of thoracic cancers. Its companion journal, JTO Clinical and Research Reports, offers open-access content.

• Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-thoracic-oncology
• Impact Factor: 20.4
• CiteScore: 31.9
• SJR: 5.866
• SNIP: 3.593
• H-Index: 161

Annals of the American Thoracic Society

Annals of the American Thoracic Society, often referred to as AnnalsATS, was initially launched in 2004 as the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. Under the editorship of Colin Cooke, it serves as an authoritative source in the fields of pulmonology, critical care, and sleep medicine. The journal prides itself on disseminating pivotal original research, clinical trials, and insightful reviews, all aimed at informing and advancing clinical practice and understanding in the management of respiratory diseases and critical care conditions. As a publication of the American Thoracic Society, AnnalsATS plays a crucial role in the global endeavour to enhance patient care in these essential medical disciplines.

• Website: https://www.atsjournals.org/journal/annalsats
• Impact Factor: 8.3
• CiteScore: 9.3
• SJR: 2.300
• SNIP: 1.630
• H-Index: 131

Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer is published monthly by Elsevier and includes a range of content relevant to the pathology, assessment, prevention, and treatment of lung cancer. It includes reviews, research articles, and reports. You can also follow the journal on Twitter.

• Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/lung-cancer
• Impact Factor: 5.3
• CiteScore: 10.3
• SJR: 1.609
• SNIP: 1.346
• H-Index: 141

Nicotine and Tobacco Research

Published by Oxford University Press, Nicotine & Tobacco Research is a peer-reviewed, international journal that publishes research focusing on all aspects of nicotine and tobacco. Recent issues include a discussion about racial differences associated with non-cigarette tobacco products, predictors of cigarette smoking, and analysis of smoking cessation programmes.

• Website: https://academic.oup.com/ntr
• Impact Factor: 4.7
• CiteScore: 8.0
• SJR: 1.512
• SNIP: 1.421
• H-Index: 124

Translational Lung Cancer Research

Translational Lung Cancer Research aims to bridge the gap between preclinical and clinical research and provide a forum for the latest lung cancer developments, expert opinions, and the most up-to-date research. All of the content is open access.

• Website: https://tlcr.amegroups.org/
• Impact Factor: 4.0
• CiteScore: 5.9
• SJR: 1.056
• SNIP: 0.953
• H-Index: 55

Tobacco Induced Diseases

Tobacco Induced Diseases focuses on global efforts to prevent and control tobacco use, aiming to reduce the worldwide burden of diseases caused by tobacco. The journal serves as a platform for publishing research and policy activities related to tobacco control, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives at both regional and national levels to combat this epidemic

• Website: https://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/
• Impact Factor: 3.8
• CiteScore: 6.2
• SJR: 0.954
• SNIP: 1.206
• H-Index: 34

Respiration

Respiration, an influential journal focusing on thoracic medicine, merges clinical and experimental research to enhance the understanding and treatment of chest and lung diseases. With a broad scope covering physiology to pharmacology, it encourages advancements in diagnosis and therapy. Esteemed for its mix of articles, including editorials and original research, it's recognised by its Impact Factor and CiteScore. Guided by F.J.F. Herth, it's a vital resource for professionals in respiratory medicine.

• Website: https://karger.com/RES
• Impact Factor: 3.7
• CiteScore: 6.6
• SJR: 1.082
• SNIP: 1.221
• H-Index: 90

Lung Cancer: Targets and Therapy

Published by Dove Medical Press Ltd, Lung Cancer: Targets and Therapy is an international open-access journal. Recent review articles include orphan drugs in development for the treatment of small-cell lung cancer and asbestos-induced epigenetic changes associated with lung cancer. The journal focuses on all aspects of lung cancer causes and treatments.

• Website: https://www.dovepress.com/lung-cancer-targets--therapy-journal
• Impact Factor: 3.6
• CiteScore: 7.8
• SJR: 0.863
• SNIP: 0.707
• H-Index: 25

Clinical Lung Cancer

Clinical Lung Cancer is also published by Elsevier with the main focus on recent scientific developments in lung cancer, including drug sensitivity and resistance, multimodal therapy, and pathology. It is published bimonthly.

• Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/clinical-lung-cancer
• Impact Factor: 3.6
• CiteScore: 7.4
• SJR: 1.137
• SNIP: 0.993
• H-Index: 69

Thoracic Cancer

As the official journal of the Chinese Society of Lung Cancer and the International Chinese Society of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Cancer focuses on the prevention, treatment, and management of thoracic cancers in people living within the Asia-Pacific region. Each issue includes a range of reviews, meeting reports, clinical guidelines, original articles, and other content relevant to thoracic cancer medicine.

• Website: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17597714
• Impact Factor: 2.9
• CiteScore: 4.8
• SJR: 0.730
• SNIP: 0.834
• H-Index: 40

Publish or Perish - as true now as it ever was

In the high-stakes world of pharma and biotech, "Publish or Perish" isn't just a catchy phrase—it's the stark reality. For pharma companies and researchers, it's not enough to develop breakthroughs; the real challenge lies in getting those findings recognised in top journals. In this game, it's not just about playing your cards right; it's about having a seasoned player on your team. With Rx Communications in your corner, you’ll be giving yourself the best chance to make an impact with your research. Explore our Publications Support Services here.

How to Stay Up-to-Date with Lung Cancer Research Developments

For pharma professionals and researchers working in the field of Lung Cancer, it is vital to stay abreast of the latest research advancements. To stay on top you might:

• Consider subscribing to our newsletter and receive updates to our top journal lists as well as other relevant industry and therapeutic developments as they happen.
• Register for an account with your selected journal to get direct access to new research as it's published.
• Customise an RSS feed for your selected journals to also further streamline the process, delivering the latest papers and articles directly to your digital doorstep.
• Setting up a Google alert with Lung Cancer research keywords to capture relevant news and studies from across the web.
• Lastly, don't underestimate the power of social media; by following the publishers and journals in the field, you'll tap into a community of shared knowledge and discourse.

* Article originally written by Sarah Cahill and published in 2021, updated by Beth Howe and the Rx Team for 2024!

References

World Cancer Research Fund

Cancer, World Health Organization

Lung Cancer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

International Agency for Research on Cancer

SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Scopus