Cancer Cell Impact Factor 2025 (JCR 2026): 56.1, Q1, Ranking & Metrics

OverviewAbout Cancer Cell Journal

Cancer Cell was launched in 2002 by Cell Press to provide a dedicated home for transformative cancer biology research. It publishes original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and clinical investigations that answer important questions relevant to naturally occurring cancers. The journal covers basic cancer biology, therapeutic development, translational research, cancer model development, multi-omics, computational biology, and mechanism-based proof-of-principle clinical studies.

Cancer Cell is internationally regarded as one of the top cancer research journals in the world. As the flagship cancer journal of the Cell Press portfolio, it accepts only work that changes how the field understands disease mechanisms, therapeutic vulnerabilities, or tumor behavior. For 2025, Cancer Cell reports an Impact Factor of 56.1 and holds the #1 rank among dedicated cancer biology journals in the Journal Citation Reports.

2025 Impact FactorCancer Cell Impact Factor 2025

Cancer Cell’s Impact Factor for 2025 is 56.1, as reported in the Clarivate Journal Citation Reports (JCR) released in June 2026. This figure represents the ratio of citations received in 2025 to citable items (articles and reviews) published in 2023 and 2024.

An Impact Factor of 56.1 means that, on average, each citable article published in Cancer Cell during 2023–2024 received approximately 56.1 citations during 2025. This places Cancer Cell at the very top of the Oncology category in JCR, ahead of every dedicated cancer journal except CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians (which publishes review articles, not original research).

Historical TrendCancer Cell Impact Factor Trend (2017–2025)

Cancer Cell’s Impact Factor showed steady growth from 22.8 in 2017 to a then-peak of 50.3 in 2022, driven by intensifying citation of immuno-oncology and precision medicine research. After a dip to 44.5 in 2024, the IF surged to 56.1 in 2025, reflecting the journal’s sustained publication of high-impact cancer biology that shapes the field’s conceptual framework.

Category & RankWeb of Science Category and Journal Rank

Cancer Cell is classified under Oncology and Cell Biology in the Web of Science Journal Citation Reports. As of 2025, it holds the #1 rank out of approximately 322 journals in Oncology.

For researchers in India and South Asia, a #1 rank in Oncology means that publication in Cancer Cell carries the highest citation-based prestige within cancer research. This ranking is referenced by institutional promotion committees, grant review panels, and national research assessment frameworks.

QuartileIs Cancer Cell a Q1 Journal?

Yes, Cancer Cell is a Q1 journal. It is ranked in the top 25% of the Oncology category in the Journal Citation Reports. With an Impact Factor of 56.1 and a #1 ranking out of ~322 journals, Cancer Cell sits well within the top quartile. For tenure and promotion evaluations, as well as grant applications under schemes such as UGC-CARE and SERB in India, Q1 classification is frequently a required criterion.

IndexingWhere Is Cancer Cell Indexed?

Cancer Cell is indexed in the following major bibliographic databases:

• SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded) — Web of Science Core Collection. Source of the 56.1 Impact Factor.
• Scopus — CiteScore: 41.9, SJR: 26.632, SNIP: 5.38.
• PubMed / MEDLINE — Biomedical and cancer research articles indexed.
• Google Scholar — Full coverage for h-index (436) and citation tracking.

ScopeWhat Does Cancer Cell Publish?

Cancer Cell publishes original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and clinical investigations that provide major advances in cancer research and oncology. The journal considers manuscripts that answer important questions relevant to naturally occurring cancers across:

• Basic cancer biology (tumorigenesis, tumor microenvironment, metastasis)
• Therapeutic development (targeted therapy, immuno-oncology, drug resistance)
• Translational research (biomarkers, patient-derived models)
• Cancer model development (genetically engineered models, organoids, PDX)
• Multi-omics and computational biology
• Mechanism-based proof-of-principle clinical studies

Cancer Cell is appropriate for researchers whose work demonstrates exceptional mechanistic depth and field-changing significance. The editorial test is specific: is this a cancer biology paper, or a cell biology paper that happens to use cancer models?

ComparisonCancer Cell vs. Comparable Journals

Cell PressCancer Cell and the Cell Press Family

Cancer Cell is part of the Cell Press portfolio alongside Cell, Molecular Cell, Developmental Cell, Immunity, Neuron, and other leading journals. Cell Press journals share a distinctive editorial culture: professional in-house editors with deep scientific training manage every paper from submission through acceptance, and a negotiated revision model sets them apart from society journals.

Cell Press launched Cancer Cell in 2002 to carve out a dedicated home for cancer biology that didn’t fit the broader scope of Cell itself. The journal quickly established itself as the place where cancer researchers publish work that moves the whole field. The in-house editor model means the desk screen is fast, informed, and rigorous.

SubmissionSubmission Guide for Authors

Peer ReviewPeer Review Process

Cancer Cell uses a single-blind peer review process managed by professional in-house Cell Press editors with deep cancer biology expertise. The negotiated revision model means revisions are a conversation between authors and editors about additional experiments, not a checklist.

The desk rejection rate is approximately 60–70%, reflecting the journal’s highly selective editorial screening. Manuscripts that pass desk review are sent to expert peer reviewers, typically 2–3 per paper. The acceptance rate is estimated at ~5–8% of all submissions.

There are no strict formatting requirements at initial submission. References can be in any standard format; the journal will reformat accepted manuscripts.

FAQFrequently Asked Questions