Journal profile · Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews
ISSN 1359-6101 · eISSN 1879-0305 · Elsevier BV · ENGLAND · Bimonthly · Founded 1996
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 13.19; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,900; median 31 days to acceptance (96 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 20%; 77 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 2 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Immune Cell Function and Interaction, Cytokine Signaling Pathways and Interactions and interferon and immune responses, together about 25% of its articles. Its main subfields are Immunology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews publishes focused research reviews (state-of-the-art reviews, correspondence, perspectives, meeting reviews) devoted to important advances in fields of cytokine and growth factor research. Major emphasis will be placed on reviews that detail molecular mechanistic analysis of diverse areas of biomedical research, including cytokine regulation of immune responses, innate immunity, viral pathogenesis, inflammatory disorders including neuroinflammation, growth regulation in cancer, cytokines in the tumor microenvironment and cytokine-guided immunotherapeutic strategies. Priority will be given to those reviews with a focused expert perspective, provided by scientific leaders in their respective areas of research. Broad literature reviews with an overview perspective rather than a research focus should consider other Elsevier venues.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Editorial board by country: 7 in mainland China (about 17%); most named United States 15, Mainland China 7, Italy 5, United Kingdom 2, Germany 2 (41 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Immune Cell Function and InteractionImmunology and Microbiology9%
- Cytokine Signaling Pathways and InteractionsMedicine8.3%
- interferon and immune responsesImmunology and Microbiology7.7%
- Immune Response and InflammationImmunology and Microbiology6.2%
- Immunotherapy and Immune ResponsesImmunology and Microbiology6.1%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance6%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering6%
- Educational Robotics and EngineeringComputer Science5.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: yes
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Cell Biology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: yes
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 13.19LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 13.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 21.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 21.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 3.3LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.54LetPub ·
- h-index
- 148LetPub ·
- h-index
- 208OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,279OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 13.65OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 28.42%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 76LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,686 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 49 | 17 | 68 |
| 2025 | 77 | 27 | 1,036 |
| 2024 | 61 | 27 | 1,448 |
| 2023 | 61 | 28 | 2,110 |
| 2022 | 54 | 19 | 2,365 |
| 2021 | 56 | 34 | 3,223 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
31 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 23 days – 52 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 3 days (96 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 35 days
- Sample
- 96 articles with submission and acceptance dates (139 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 20%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 10 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 31 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,900 / EUR 4,580 / GBP 3,920 / JPY 607,750 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,860 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Highlights
- Optional
Article types accepted11, with length limits
- brief communicationSURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…Length not stated
- letters to the editorSURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…Length not stated
- meeting reportsMEETING REPORTS are approximately 2-5 journal pages long. Meeting Reports contain a brief summary paragraph followed by the main text of the report.Length not stated
- mini reviewSURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…main text ≤ 6,000 words
- mini reviewsMINI REVIEWS are shorter reviews of topics that may be controversial or unresolved, usually 6-10 journal pages long. A typical Mini Review will contain approxim…Length not stated
- perspectiveSURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…Length not stated
- perspectivesPERSPECTIVES are approximately 3-6 journal pages long and are usually devoted to meeting reports, but may also convey personal viewpoints on selected topics.Length not stated
- reviewSURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…Length not stated
- surveySURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…main text ≤ 8,000 words
- surveysSURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…Length not stated
- viewpointSURVEYS are comprehensive (though not encyclopaedic) reviews, usually 10-15 journal pages long. A typical Survey will consist of approximately 6,000-8,000 words…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Follow Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy. Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process. Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed per Elsevier policy; not prior publication. Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1996
- ISSN
- 1359-6101
- Electronic ISSN
- 1879-0305
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews
What CAS zone is Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews is in Zone 2 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Cell Biology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 13.19; CiteScore 21.8, h-index 208.
How long does peer review take at Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews?
Based on the dates recorded on 96 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 31 days (interquartile range 23–52 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 20%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Highlights: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews based?
Of the 41 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 7 (about 17%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (15), Mainland China (7) and Italy (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews open access, and what is the APC?
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,900.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .