Shifting landscapes of gender equity in oncology journals: a decade of authorship trends

Abstract

Gender disparities persist in academic oncology, particularly in authorship and senior academic roles. This study evaluates trends in authorship gender representation over the past decade across top oncology journals, focusing on regional, journal-specific, and citation-based disparities. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 29,005 articles published between 2014 and 2023 in the top 20 oncology journals, identified through the Web of Science database. Author gender was determined using the NamSor tool. Temporal trends were analyzed using linear regression, and multivariate logistic regression identified factors contributing to gender disparities. Regional and citation analyses explored geographic variations and citation count differences. Among analyzed articles, 41.81% of first authors and 29.93% of last authors were female. Female first authorship showed a significant upward trend (P < 0.01), with gender parity projected by 2034, while parity for last authors is expected by 2055. Regional differences were notable, with North America and Europe leading in female representation. Certain journals, such as CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians and Molecular Cancer, exhibited higher female authorship proportions, while Journal of Clinical Oncology had the lowest. Citation analysis revealed female-authored articles received significantly fewer citations than male-authored ones (P < 0.01). Although female authorship in oncology journals has increased over the past decade, disparities remain, particularly in senior roles and citation impact. Addressing these issues requires targeted strategies, including mentorship programs, greater female representation in editorial boards, and institutional policies promoting gender equity.