Welcome

President’s Welcome Message

Launch of the AORTIC Journal Letter

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

As I slowly wind down my season as AORTIC President, what an honor it has been – I find myself reflecting deeply on how far we’ve come, and how fitting it is that we now launch something that will outlive us all: the AORTIC Journal.

This journal represents more than an academic milestone. It is a symbol of collective progress, of African excellence, and of our shared belief that solutions for Africa must be led by Africa. For years, so much of the data guiding our cancer care came from contexts far removed from our realities. But through this journal, we are building a platform where our stories, our science, and our voices now take center stage.

The AORTIC Journal is not just pages of research, but a living record of what we can achieve together when collaboration meets courage.

It will:

• Elevate African oncology research to global visibility;
• Strengthen cross-disciplinary partnerships;
• Nurture early-career researchers and clinicians;
• Encourage innovation that reflects the lived experiences of our patients.

As I transition from this role, I am deeply grateful for the chance to have witnessed the strength of this community, a family of oncologists, surgeons, nurses, advocates, and policymakers who continue to define what leadership looks like on this continent.

To our editorial team and contributors: thank you for breathing life into this vision.
To our readers and members: this journal belongs to you. I invite you to publish, mentor, engage, and help shape this legacy into one that reflects the depth, diversity, and determination of African cancer research.

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Editor-in-Chief’s Welcome Letter

Journal of the African Organization for Cancer Research (JACR)

It is my great honor and privilege to serve as the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the African Organization for Cancer Research (JACR), the official scientific journal of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC).

AORTIC was first envisioned in 1986 and formally reactivated in 2000 during a landmark session held at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in San Francisco. From its inception, AORTIC’s mission has been to unite the global African cancer research community and to strengthen cancer research, training, and control efforts across the continent. Over the past two decades, AORTIC has evolved into a dynamic, multidisciplinary organization that brings together scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and advocates dedicated to reducing the cancer burden in Africa and among people of African descent worldwide.

The launch of JACR marks a major milestone in fulfilling AORTIC’s long-standing vision—to provide a high-quality, accessible platform for publishing African-led cancer research and fostering the exchange of knowledge between African and global investigators.

Our vision is to establish JACR as the leading open-access scientific platform advancing cancer science, prevention, and care in Africa through the dissemination of rigorous, innovative, and contextually relevant research. Importantly, JACR will be free of charge to all African investigators residing on the continent, ensuring equitable access to knowledge creation and dissemination.

The journal seeks to:

• Highlight discoveries that address Africa’s unique cancer challenges and opportunities.
• Promote interdisciplinary collaboration across basic, translational, clinical, and population sciences.
• Encourage mentorship, authorship, and visibility of emerging African scientists.
• Foster equitable global partnerships that strengthen local research capacity and sustainability.

We warmly invite researchers, clinicians, trainees, and policymakers to join us in shaping this new era of African cancer scholarship. Together, through JACR, we can amplify African voices, share impactful discoveries, and accelerate progress toward equitable cancer outcomes for all.

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