Practical Radiation Oncology: Instructions for Authors

Submission Information

This page contains information specific to Practical Radiation Oncology article types. For the full submission instructions, please visit the ASTRO Journals Author Instructions page.

To submit your manuscript, please use our online submission system.

For questions regarding submissions, please email the PRO editorial office.

Copy Editing and Translation Services Available

ASTRO is pleased to partner with Editage to offer a 10% discount for authors seeking copy editing and translation services. Please use this Author Services link to receive the discount. These services are offered for the benefit of authors, and individuals who participate will remain anonymous. Copy editing and translation are provided by Editage.

Scope

The overarching mission of Practical Radiation Oncology is to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice. PRO's purpose is to document the state of current practice, providing background for those in training and continuing education for practitioners, through discussion and illustration of new techniques, evaluation of current practices, and publication of case reports. PRO strives to provide its readers content that emphasizes knowledge "with a purpose."

For more information about the scope of all three ASTRO journals, please see our scope document.

PRO is the sister publication to the International Journal of Radiation Oncology●Biology●Physics and Advances in Radiation Oncology. Learn more about which types of papers the journals typically accept.

PRO can be accessed online at www.practicalradonc.org.

Submission Checklist

Title Page Template

ASTRO provides a checklist and title page template to help facilitate new submissions and revisions.

Article Types and Guidelines

Please note that as of January 1, 2020, Practical Radiation Oncology will no longer accept Teaching Cases.

Original Reports

• Manuscript ≤ 4000 words, tables and figures ≤ 8 references ≤ 50, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Structured Abstract (≤ 300 words)
  • Anonymized Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure captions if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)
  • Data Sharing Statement

• Original Reports are thoroughly reviewed for scientific originality, significance, relevance, and priority, and the topics must be of interest to the journal's readers. PRO only accepts original reports that are likely to have a practical impact on the field of radiation oncology.

Critical Reviews

• Manuscript ≤ 4500 words, figures ≤ 8, references ≤ 50, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Structured Abstract ≤ 300 words
  • Anonymized Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure captions if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)

• The Editor-in-Chief typically solicits Critical Reviews, but authors may submit an unsolicited review for consideration. The manuscript must present significant new information to justify publication. Critical Reviews will be reviewed in the same manner as Original Reports.

Technical Reports

• Manuscript ≤ 1,500 words, figures ≤ 8 references ≤ 50, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Anonymized Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure Legends if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)
  • Data Sharing Statement

• PRO invites technical reports, which are brief 2-3 page descriptions of new developments, devices or procedures. Technical Reports are concerned with innovations that might enhance practice or address specific challenges in radiation oncology.

Morbidity and Mortality Conference 

• Manuscript ≤ 1500 words, Figures and Tables ≤ 6, References ≤ 15, authors ≤ 10 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Anonymized Manuscript with major subsections:
    • Clinical Scenario
    • Evidence-based Discussion (including multidisciplinary input as appropriate)
    • Management Summary
    • Implications for Future Practice and Research
  • References
  • Figure Legends if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)
  • Data Sharing Statement

• Articles in this category use a formal structure to analyze a situation involving serious morbidity (including mortality) related to radiation therapy. The main issue may be based on a single patient experience or aggregate data.

Editorials

• Manuscript ≤ 1500 words, references ≤ 10, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter).

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript
  • References
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)

• The Editor-in-Chief may solicit an Editorial to accompany an accepted manuscript. Authors may submit editorials that stand on their own merit or relate to important research published in this or another journal.

Topic Discussion

• Manuscript ≤ 1500 words, Figures and Tables ≤ 8, References ≤ 10, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure Legends if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)
  • Data Sharing Statement

• Articles in this category discuss or explain something of interest to the PRO audience. A Topic Discussion may present an opinion, review other papers, clarify an issue, explain how to use a technology or do a procedure. Topic Discussions are generally invited but we welcome unsolicited articles. Discussion with a PRO editor prior to submission is highly recommended.

Contour Clinic

Overview
The Contour Clinic section features concise, case-based articles focused on clinical target volume (CTV) delineation in radiation oncology. Each article should guide readers through the rationale and methodology of contouring a specific anatomical site or clinical scenario, using illustrative images and expert commentary.

• Manuscript requirements
  • ≤ 1000 words
  • ≤ 8 figures and/or tables
  • All images must fit onto 1 printed page 
  • ≤ 10 references
  • ≤ 3 authors
• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure Legends
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)
  • Data Sharing Statement

1. Case Summary and Imaging
   Each submission should begin with a concise clinical summary that includes all necessary information to support informed contouring decisions. This should be followed by up to six axial CT or MR images with clearly visible contours. Images may be presented as individual slices or consolidated into multi-panel displays. Additional imaging planes, such as coronal or sagittal, may be included if they contribute meaningful anatomical or clinical value. All images must be submitted in high resolution (minimum 300 dpi or 1200 x 1600 pixels). Contours should be of appropriate thickness and color-coded using the following order of preference to ensure visibility and consistency: red, blue, green, orange, yellow and purple. Use labeled arrows to highlight key anatomical structures and describe them in figure legends. Optional video or GIF files (in .mp4 format) may be submitted as supplemental material.
2. Clinical and Anatomical Overview
   This section should briefly describe the clinical relevance of the case and anatomy in question. Authors should provide background on importance, include references to relevant literature, and outline key anatomical structures involved in the contouring decision. When applicable, authors are encouraged to include a "compare and contrast" contour that illustrates variation from consensus recommendations or the expert answer. Relevant anatomical figures may also be included in this section.
3. "How I Do It" – Contouring the [Anatomy/Site]
   In this section, authors should describe in detail their personal approach to contouring the case, referencing key anatomical landmarks and any preferred tools or imaging techniques. Authors are encouraged to share pearls and pitfalls, including situations that may lead to variations in contouring. Common errors, diagnostic challenges or points of confusion should be highlighted. Planning parameters such as PTV expansion, dose and image guidance may be briefly mentioned if relevant, but the focus should remain on defining the clinical target volume (CTV).

Authors are encouraged to review previously published Contour Clinic articles for guidance on style, structure and formatting.

Correspondence

• Manuscript ≤ 400 words, references ≤ 10, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript
  • References
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)

• Authors may respond to a published article or express an opinion in a short, freestanding piece. If the Correspondence refers to a published article, the Editor-in-Chief may choose to invite a reply from the original authors. Correspondence is reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief for possible inclusion in the journal.

Errata

• Manuscript ≤ 200 words, tables and figures ≤ 1, references ≤ 5, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure captions if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)

• Authors are encouraged to report errors in their work to correct the literature. Errata are published in the printed journal and linked back to the original manuscript electronically. The Editor-in-Chief makes all decisions on whether errata are published.

Special Articles

• Manuscript ≤ 4000 words, tables and figures ≤ 8 references ≤ 50, authors ≤ 20

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Structured Abstract (≤ 300 words)
  • Anonymized Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure captions if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)

• Special Articles are manuscripts whose content and style do not fall under the categories of Original Reports or Critical Reviews. These may include but are not limited to guidelines, summaries of consensus meetings, and other scholarly communications.

Narrative Oncology

• Manuscript ≤ 1500 words, figures ≤ 8 references ≤ 50, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript>
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)

• PRO invites Narrative Oncology commentaries that describe the unique challenges in the radiation oncology profession throughout the world. Narrative Oncology articles are generally written in the first person and may take a variety of artistic forms (for example, poetry). These commentaries are generally invited but we also welcome unsolicited articles of this type.

Lessons from Art and Literature

• Manuscript ≤ 1500 words, Figures and Tables ≤ 2, References ≤ 5, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript
  • References
  • Figure Legends if figures are present
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)
  • Data Sharing Statement

• Essays in this category describe a lesson from art or the non-medical literature that is valuable to the PRO audience. These essays are generally invited but we welcome unsolicited articles. Discussion with a PRO editor prior to submission is highly recommended. The subject of these essays may be a book (fiction or nonfiction), poem, painting, drawing, photograph, sculpture or other form of artistic expression.

Interesting Images

• Manuscript ≤ 400 words, authors ≤ 15 (please include justification for any exceptions in the cover letter)

• Required Elements:
  • Title page
  • Manuscript
  • Image
  • Uniform disclosure forms (1 for each author)

• PRO invites interesting high-resolution images, preferably in color, including X-rays or scans of characteristic or conditions relevant to radiation oncology. Exceptional images may be considered for the cover of the journal. Please see the Artwork section of the Author Instructions for details.

• All identifying information of patients, such as names, dates of birth, dates of service, or patient identification codes must be removed.

• If the image includes individually identifiable health information, authors must comply with the applicable privacy laws and obtain a HIPAA-compliant patient authorization form.

Revisions

Revisions must include the following elements:

• Detailed Response to Reviewers (anonymized)
• Marked version of the revised manuscript (tracked changes preferred)
• Clean version of the revised manuscript
• Clean versions of supporting documents

Please do not include:

• Identifying information on the Detailed Response to Reviewers document
• The original, unrevised manuscript document
• Marked version only of all supporting documents (tables, figures, supplemental files)