JAMA Oncology Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

JAMA Oncology publishes several article types with strict word limits. The editorial system enforces these automatically, and exceeding them means an immediate return.

Word counts exclude the abstract, references, figure legends, and table content. Display items include both figures and tables, combined into a single count. If you have 3 figures and 2 tables, that's your limit. Anything extra goes to the eSupplement.

Research Letters are an underutilized format at JAMA Oncology. If you have a single focused finding from a cohort study or a brief report of a novel biomarker, the Research Letter format gets faster review and a higher acceptance rate than full Original Investigations.

JAMA Oncology requires structured abstracts for Original Investigations and Reviews, with a maximum of 350 words. The required headings for Original Investigations are:

• Importance
• Objective
• Design, Setting, and Participants
• Interventions (if applicable)
• Main Outcomes and Measures
• Results
• Conclusions and Relevance

This heading structure is shared across all JAMA Network journals and is different from the standard IMRAD format. Don't use "Background," "Methods," or "Conclusions" as standalone headings. JAMA Oncology will return manuscripts with incorrect abstract headings.

Importance should be 1-2 sentences establishing why this research matters clinically. Don't waste space on general cancer statistics. Focus on the specific gap your study addresses.

Design, Setting, and Participants must specify the study design (randomized clinical trial, cohort study, cross-sectional analysis, etc.), the setting (single-center, multicenter, population-based registry), and the participants (sample size, demographics, inclusion criteria). Include the study dates.

Results should report primary and key secondary outcomes with specific numbers. Include absolute numbers, percentages, hazard ratios or odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and P values. JAMA Oncology reviewers evaluate the abstract as a standalone document.

Conclusions and Relevance must connect findings to clinical practice. The word "Relevance" is there for a reason. What should clinicians do differently based on these results?

JAMA Oncology requires a "Key Points" box at the beginning of the manuscript. It has three components:

• Question: One sentence framing the research question
• Findings: One to two sentences summarizing the main result with key data
• Meaning: One sentence explaining the clinical significance

This is separate from the abstract and appears prominently in the published article. It's also what appears in email alerts and social media posts. Write it carefully. Many readers will only ever see your Key Points box.

JAMA Oncology allows a maximum of 5 display items (figures and tables combined) in the main manuscript. Additional items go in the eSupplement.

Figure requirements:

• Minimum resolution: 300 DPI for photographs, 600 DPI for line art
• Accepted formats: TIFF, EPS, or high-resolution PDF
• Maximum width: 3.25 inches (single column) or 6.75 inches (double column)
• Font in figures: Arial or Helvetica, minimum 8-point
• Color figures published at no charge
• Each figure uploaded as a separate file
• Multipanel figures (A, B, C) count as one display item

Table requirements:

• Created in Word using the table editor
• Every column needs a header
• Use horizontal rules only (top, bottom, below headers)
• No vertical rules or shading
• Abbreviations defined in footnotes
• P values reported to 2-3 decimal places
• Footnote symbols follow AMA style order: *, dagger, double dagger, section mark

For clinical trial figures: Kaplan-Meier curves should include the number of patients at risk at regular intervals below the x-axis. Forest plots should display individual trial effects and pooled estimates with 95% CIs. Waterfall plots for tumor response should include a reference line at the RECIST threshold.

JAMA Oncology uses the AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition. This is the same style used across all JAMA Network journals.

Key formatting rules:

• Superscript citation numbers in text, placed after punctuation
• Number references consecutively in order of first appearance
• List all authors up to 6; for 7 or more, list the first 3 followed by "et al"
• Journal titles abbreviated per NLM conventions
• No issue numbers (volume and pages only, with exceptions)
• Use a period between journal abbreviation and year

Example reference:

1. Smith AB, Jones CD, Williams EF. Immunotherapy response predictors in non-small cell lung cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2025;11(4):312-320. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.0123

Note specific AMA requirements: the DOI is included without "https://doi.org/" prefix, there's a period after the journal abbreviation, and issue numbers are included in parentheses for JAMA Network journals specifically (this is an exception to the general AMA rule of omitting issue numbers for continuously paginated journals).

Both Zotero and EndNote have AMA-specific styles. Make sure you're using the 11th edition style, not an older version.

JAMA Oncology calls its online supplementary material an "eSupplement." It undergoes peer review and is published online alongside the article.

The eSupplement can contain:

• eFigures and eTables (labeled with the "e" prefix)
• eMethods (extended methodological details)
• eResults (additional analyses)
• eAppendix (trial protocols, additional documentation)

eSupplement items use the JAMA naming convention with the "e" prefix: eFigure 1, eTable 1, eMethods, etc. They should be compiled into a single document and uploaded as one file during submission.

For clinical trials, the full statistical analysis plan should be included in the eSupplement. JAMA Oncology also expects the trial protocol to be available, either in the eSupplement or deposited in a public repository.

JAMA Oncology strongly prefers Microsoft Word submissions. The journal's production workflow is built around Word, and all manuscripts end up in Word format during copyediting.

Word submissions:

• 12-point Times New Roman
• Double-spaced throughout
• Continuous line numbering
• 1-inch margins on all sides
• Page numbers on every page

LaTeX submissions:

• Technically accepted but not recommended
• Submit compiled PDF plus source files
• Will be converted to Word during production
• Expect formatting discrepancies, especially in complex tables

For oncology research, Word is the right choice in almost every case. The field doesn't require heavy mathematical notation, and the production conversion from LaTeX introduces unnecessary risk. If your paper has a biostatistical methods focus with complex equations, LaTeX might be justified. Otherwise, use Word.

JAMA Oncology is a leader in enforcing reporting guidelines. The appropriate checklist must be completed and uploaded during submission. Reviewers are given the checklist and asked to verify compliance.

JAMA Oncology enforces these more rigorously than most journals. Incomplete checklists, or checklists where the page numbers don't match the manuscript, will be flagged. Take the time to fill in every row accurately.

For randomized trials, the CONSORT flow diagram is expected as Figure 1 in the main manuscript. Trial registration is mandatory, and the registration number must appear in the abstract and at the end of the Methods section.

JAMA Oncology has several requirements that differ from other oncology journals. Missing these is a fast path to administrative returns.

1. "Importance" heading in the abstract. This is the most common error for authors coming from other journals. JAMA Oncology (and all JAMA Network journals) use "Importance" instead of "Background" or "Introduction." Similarly, "Conclusions and Relevance" replaces "Conclusions."

2. Key Points box is mandatory. It's not the same as the abstract. It must contain exactly three elements (Question, Findings, Meaning), each as a single sentence. The system won't let you submit without it.

3. The 5-item display limit is combined. Figures and tables together can't exceed 5 in the main manuscript. This is tighter than journals like Blood that allow up to 8 figures alone.

4. Statistical review. JAMA Oncology sends Original Investigations for independent statistical review. Your analysis code and dataset may be requested. Have these ready before submission.

5. Data sharing statement. A data sharing statement is required at the time of submission. Specify what data will be shared, with whom, and through what mechanism. Clinical trial data must be made available per JAMA's data sharing policy.

JAMA Oncology uses the JAMA Network submission system (manuscript.jamanetwork.com). File preparation checklist:

1. Main manuscript (Word): title page, Key Points, abstract, body text, references, figure legends
2. Figures: each as a separate high-resolution file (TIFF, EPS, or PDF)
3. Tables: embedded in the manuscript at the end, one per page
4. eSupplement: single compiled document with all supplementary material
5. Reporting checklist: CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, etc., completed with page numbers
6. Cover letter: brief, stating the article type and confirming the work hasn't been published elsewhere
7. Conflict of interest forms: ICMJE disclosure for all authors
8. Data sharing statement: specifying what data will be available

The most frequent administrative return triggers at JAMA Oncology:

• Wrong abstract headings (using "Background" instead of "Importance")
• Missing Key Points box
• Exceeding 5 display items in the main manuscript
• CONSORT/STROBE checklist not uploaded or incompletely filled
• Missing data sharing statement
• Figures below minimum resolution
• Incorrectly formatted AMA references (wrong edition or style)