Journal profile · Genetics & Heredity
Familial Cancer
ISSN 1389-9600 · eISSN 1573-7292 · Springer Netherlands · NETHERLANDS · Quarterly · Founded 2001
Familial Cancer: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.03; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,990; median 125 days to acceptance (25 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 84 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Familial Cancer is published by Springer Netherlands and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Genetic factors in colorectal cancer, BRCA gene mutations in cancer and Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics, together about 52.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are Genetics and Oncology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
In recent years clinical cancer genetics has become increasingly important. Several events, in particular the developments in DNA-based technology, have contributed to this evolution. Clinical cancer genetics has now matured to a medical discipline which is truly multidisciplinary in which clinical and molecular geneticists work together with clinical and medical oncologists as well as with psycho-social workers.Due to the multidisciplinary nature of clinical cancer genetics most papers are currently being published in a wide variety of journals on epidemiology, oncology and genetics. Familial Cancer provides a forum bringing these topics together focusing on the interests and needs of the clinician.The journal mainly concentrates on clinical cancer genetics. Most major areas in the field shall be included, such as epidemiology of familial cancer, molecular analysis and diagnosis, clinical expression, treatment and prevention, counselling and the health economics of familial cancer.Familial Cancer publishes Original Articles, Reviews, Short Communications, Book Reviews, and Letters to the Editor.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Genetics & Heredity
Editor-in-chief Gabriel CapelláPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 7, United Kingdom 6, Netherlands 4, Germany 3, Spain 3 (38 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Genetic factors in colorectal cancerMedicine22.6%
- BRCA gene mutations in cancerBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology18.3%
- Cancer Genomics and DiagnosticsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology11.6%
- Colorectal Cancer Screening and DetectionMedicine8.1%
- DNA Repair MechanismsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology3.9%
- Colorectal Cancer Treatments and StudiesMedicine3.8%
- Genomics and Rare DiseasesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.9%
- Genomic variations and chromosomal abnormalitiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Oncology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Oncology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Oncology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEEmbaseCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
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
- 2.03LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.7LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.85LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.78LetPub ·
- h-index
- 50LetPub ·
- h-index
- 82OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 963OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.49OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 9.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 47.65%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 72LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 351,300Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,809 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 85 | 47 | 18 |
| 2025 | 84 | 50 | 173 |
| 2024 | 83 | 50 | 436 |
| 2023 | 27 | 17 | 162 |
| 2022 | 40 | 22 | 337 |
| 2021 | 63 | 38 | 779 |
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 Crossref · to
125 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 79 days – 157 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 16 days (25 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 146 days
- Sample
- 25 articles with submission and acceptance dates (30 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)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double 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 2,990 / EUR 4,790 | — | — |
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 prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Required, 3
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted10
- brief reportFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- commentaryFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- correspondenceFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- letterFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- original researchFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- regular articleFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- research articleFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- reviewFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- review articleFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
- surveyFamilial Cancer welcomes Research, Review, Brief Report, Correspondence, and Matters Arising article types There are no restrictions regarding the word count, r…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Familial Cancer, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
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
- Springer Netherlands
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 2001
- ISSN
- 1389-9600
- Electronic ISSN
- 1573-7292
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Familial Cancer
What CAS zone is Familial Cancer in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Familial Cancer is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Genetics & Heredity / Oncology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Familial Cancer?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.03; CiteScore 3.7, h-index 82.
How long does peer review take at Familial Cancer?
Based on the dates recorded on 25 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 125 days (interquartile range 79–157 days); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. 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 Familial Cancer?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Required, 3; Cover letter: Required. 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 Familial Cancer based?
Of the 38 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (7), United Kingdom (6) and Netherlands (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Familial Cancer?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Familial Cancer is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, Embase, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Familial Cancer open access, and what is the APC?
Familial Cancer is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,990.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; 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 2026-08-25). Last updated: .