<i>JCO</i>'s Special Series: More Is Better
Authors: Daniel G. Haller
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2004)

“Less is more.”—Ludwig Mies van der Rohe As a medical editor, one hates to quibble with the words of a great architect. Indeed, in many areas of our lives, such as political campaigns, less may well be more. However, after attending recent Annual Meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), it occurs to me that there was a wealth of opportunities to hear and see firsthand the astonishing amount of high-quality research taking place in our field. The sheer quantity of information was staggering. In addition, a greater proportion of the clinical research centered on discoveries at the molecular level, revealing both new possibilities for therapy and for a widening gap between the laboratory and the clinic. The experience reinforced my impression that this is truly an exciting time to be part of the oncology community, and a challenging time for medical journalism. How do practitioners and clinical researchers incorporate these new findings into our thinking? How can all of this knowledge make us better deliverers of cancer care to our patients? To counterbalance the quotation by van der Rohe and to carry on the theme, I quote one of the great problem-solving architects, R. Buckminster Fuller, who said, “You can never learn less, you can only learn more.” In this spirit, the Editors of the Journal of Clinical Oncology are preparing a Special Series comprising 12 additional issues of the Journal each year, beginning in January 2005. Six of these issues will be composed of review articles in disease-specific areas, and six will focus on molecular oncology. Feedback we receive through readership surveys and informally from colleagues suggests that readers are eager to expand their knowledge of molecular oncology to build a firmer understanding of this growing field, in anticipation of integrating it into practice. We understand that this is the direction in which oncology is moving and want us all to be prepared as practice-changing findings emerge. After much discussion and planning by ASCO leadership, the JCO Editors will launch six new issues each year focusing on molecular oncology. These will be smaller than the typical issues of JCO— up to about 120 pages each—just the right length to peruse in one sitting, but substantive in content. The series will include original research articles, as well as practical review articles and other supporting editorial material, intended to place the studies in perspective for the practicing clinician. Because this is an emerging field, glossaries will be provided and detailed illustrations will accompany each article. The Web site, www.jco.org, will also have special features to enhance understanding. The term “Special Series” is intended to convey the creation of a specific home to highlight JCO’s commitment to researchers in molecular oncology, but articles within these issues will be cited the same way as any other JCO article. S. Gail Eckhardt, MD, is working with me as the Editor of this series. Each issue will also have one or more Guest Editors, who are inviting papers on the topic at hand and, ultimately, helping to attract the best original research in the field. The Editors are pleased to announce the issues for next year (Table 1). While these are the major themes of the first issues, the ultimate goal is to make JCO the home for the best molecular oncology articles, for both original research and review articles. Dr Eckhardt and I would be pleased to hear from you about ideas for future issues, for inquiries concerning articles for the Special Series, as well as for continuing publication of molecular oncology articles in the regular issues of JCO. We believe that this new format for JCO will