Oncology Network for Comprehensive Outcomes (ONCO) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards throughout all stages of the publication process. All parties involved in publishing—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are required to adhere to the following ethical principles.

1. Authors’ Responsibilities

• Originality: Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts are entirely original. Any use of others’ work or ideas must be properly cited.

• Plagiarism: All forms of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, are strictly prohibited. The journal employs plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin or iThenticate.

• Data Integrity: Authors must not fabricate, falsify, or manipulate research data.

• Multiple or Redundant Publication: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.

• Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the objectivity of their work.

• Ethical Approval: Research involving human or animal subjects must include approval from an appropriate ethics committee (IRB) and informed consent from participants.

2. Editors’ Responsibilities

• Publication Decisions: Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts are accepted for publication based on scientific merit and relevance, without discrimination.

• Confidentiality: Editors must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the assigned reviewers.

• Objectivity: Editors must ensure that the peer-review process is conducted fairly, transparently, and free from conflicts of interest.

3. Reviewers’ Responsibilities

• Scholarly Contribution: Reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions and help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.

• Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.

• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, with clear and reasoned arguments, and without personal criticism of the authors.

• Timeliness: Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to review a manuscript promptly should notify the editor immediately.

4. Handling of Misconduct

• Investigation: Allegations of ethical misconduct, such as plagiarism or data manipulation, will be investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines and flowcharts.

• Sanctions: If misconduct is confirmed, the journal may reject the manuscript, retract a published article, or prohibit the author from future submissions.