JAMA Oncology 'Under Review': What Each Status Means and When to Expect a Decision
If your JAMA Oncology submission shows Under Review, here is what each status means and when to follow up.
What to do next
Already submitted to JAMA Oncology? Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next step.
The useful next step is understanding what the status usually means at JAMA Oncology, how long the wait normally runs, and when a follow-up is actually reasonable.
JAMA Oncology review timeline: what the data shows
Time to first decision is the most actionable number. What happens after varies by manuscript and reviewer availability.
What shapes the timeline
- Desk decisions are fast. Scope problems surface within days.
- Reviewer availability is the main variable after triage. Specialized topics take longer to assign.
- Revision rounds reset the clock. Major revision typically adds 6-12 weeks per round.
What to do while waiting
- Track status in the submission portal — status changes signal active review.
- Wait at least the journal's stated median before sending a status inquiry.
- Prepare revision materials in parallel if you expect a revise-and-resubmit decision.
_Last reviewed: 2026-05-16._
Quick answer: JAMA Oncology has a 2024 JCR impact factor of 22.5, accepts about 8 percent of submissions, and reports medians of 3 days first-decision without external review and 33 days with review. If still Under Review past 2 weeks, you have likely cleared the initial editorial screen.
Submission portal and editorial contact: JAMA Oncology uses the JAMA Network manuscript system at manuscripts.jamaonc.com (part of jamanetwork.com). Editorial questions route through the JAMA Network author portal at jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/pages/for-authors, referencing the manuscript ID.
JAMA Oncology desk-rejects roughly 90 percent in 3 to 14 days. If past that window, peer review is active.
While you wait
A JAMA Oncology submission readiness check flags clinical-oncology importance gaps, Key Points clarity, and reporting-discipline issues that drive most desk rejections.
JAMA Oncology's review pipeline
Status | What is happening | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
Submitted | Administrative processing | Day 0 to 2 |
With Editor | Deputy editor evaluating desk-screen fit | Days 2 to 14 |
Under Review | Reviewers invited or actively reviewing | Days 14 to 33 |
Required Reviews Complete | Editor synthesizing reports | 3 to 7 days |
Decision in Process | Editor finalizing decision letter | 2 to 5 days |
Decision Sent | Reject, R&R, or accept | Check email |
The editorial desk screen (about 90 percent rejected)
JAMA Oncology editors evaluate clinical-oncology importance, Key Points clarity, structured-abstract endpoint logic, and reporting-discipline compliance.
Day 0: manuscripts.jamaonc.com upload
The JAMA Network portal accepts the package and assigns a handling editor.
Days 1 to 3: Editorial admin and first read
Editor verifies article-type compliance, Key Points, structured abstract, EQUATOR checklist. The 3-day median first-decision without review lands here.
Days 3 to 14: Initial editorial decision
About 90 percent of submissions are returned at this stage.
Days 14 to 33: Peer review and first decision
Two to three reviewers invited; reports return on 3 to 5 week cadence. The 33-day-with-review median lands here.
Days 33 to 90: Revision rounds and acceptance
Major revision is the most common positive outcome.
When to worry
- Rejection within 1 to 3 days: Administrative issue or immediate scope mismatch.
- Rejection within 7 to 14 days: Desk rejection.
- Still Under Review after 3 weeks: Good sign (past the 90% desk filter).
- Still Under Review after 8 weeks: Reviewer delay.
What to do while waiting
- Do not contact during the first 6 weeks unless urgent.
- Prepare a point-by-point response template focused on Key Points, endpoint hierarchy, and reporting-checklist items.
Readiness check
While you wait on JAMA Oncology, scan your next manuscript.
The scan takes about 1-2 minutes. Use the result to decide whether to revise before the decision comes back.
How JAMA Oncology compares to nearby alternatives
Feature | JAMA Oncology | Lancet Oncology | Journal of Clinical Oncology | Nature Cancer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Desk rejection rate | 90 percent | 70 to 80 percent | 70 to 80 percent | 80 to 85 percent |
Desk decision speed | 3 days median | 5 to 10 days | 7 to 14 days | 7 to 14 days |
Total review time | 33 days median (with review) | 2 to 4 months | 2 to 3 months | 3 to 5 months |
Editorial bar | Top clinical oncology practice-changing | Highest-impact oncology global | Clinical-trial-focused oncology | Cancer mechanism with broad biology audience |
Submit if your paper passed the desk
If your JAMA Oncology paper is Under Review past 2 weeks, you have cleared the steepest filter in oncology publishing.
Think twice before assuming "Under Review" means safe
Editors retain discretion to reject after partial review. Our JAMA Oncology manuscript fit check flags clinical-oncology importance and Key Points gaps before reviewers do.
For a free pre-upload diagnostic, use the JAMA Oncology manuscript fit check.
Last verified: JAMA Oncology author guidance, JAMA Network manuscript system at manuscripts.jamaonc.com, and JAMA Network author portal.
The JAMA Oncology reviewer experience
Reviewer focus area | What JAMA Oncology asks reviewers to evaluate | How to prepare |
|---|---|---|
Clinical consequence | Could this finding change oncology practice or interpretation? | Frame Key Points around a specific oncology decision |
Endpoint hierarchy | Are primary endpoints clearly pre-specified? | Make endpoint logic explicit in methods and abstract |
Trial design and rigor | CONSORT-compliant for trials? | Attach CONSORT checklist |
Statistical methodology | Are statistical methods appropriate? | Include power calculations and sensitivity analyses |
Reproducibility | Could another team interpret these methods consistently? | Include detailed methods |
In our pre-submission review work with JAMA Oncology manuscripts
Three failure patterns generate the most consistent rejections.
Key Points fail to make clinical consequence obvious. Editors read Key Points first.
Endpoint hierarchy unclear. Primary vs exploratory analyses must be flagged.
Sub-specialty work without broad oncology framing. JAMA Oncology publishes for broad oncology audience.
Methodology note
This page was created from JAMA Oncology's public author guidance, JAMA Network manuscript system documentation, and Manusights review work.
Frequently asked questions
Your manuscript has cleared JAMA Network admin checks and is being evaluated, either by the deputy editors or by external peer reviewers.
JAMA Oncology reports medians of 3 days without external review and 33 days with review.
Wait at least 8 weeks before inquiring. Contact via the manuscripts.jamaonc.com portal (part of jamanetwork.com), referencing the manuscript ID.
Your paper passed the deputy-editor desk screen and external reviewers have been invited.
Yes. The 33-day-with-review median means many papers take longer.
Past 8 weeks is the right moment for a polite, factual inquiry. Silence in the first 5 weeks is normal.
Sources
Best next step
Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next sensible move.
For JAMA Oncology, the better next step is guidance on timing, follow-up, and what to do while the manuscript is still in the system. Save the Free Readiness Scan for the next paper you have not submitted yet.
Guidance first. Use the scan for the next manuscript.
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Conversion step
Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next sensible move.
Guidance first. Use the scan for the next manuscript.