Study findings highlight gender gaps in oncology authorship and citation

In a recent interview, Rebecca A. Campbell, MD, a urologic oncology fellow at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, discussed the findings of a new study examining gender disparities in citations and Altmetric Attention Scores across oncology subspecialties. The study, published in JCO Oncology Practice, revealed notable variations in how male- and female-authored papers are cited, depending on the oncology field.

One key finding was that in gynecologic oncology—a subspecialty with a high proportion of female practitioners—male-male authored papers were still cited more frequently than expected, suggesting that gender disparities in citation practices persist even in female-dominated specialties. In addition, women-women authored papers in this field were also undercited, though to a lesser extent than male-male papers were overcited.

Radiation oncology showed a different pattern. Both male-male and women-women authored papers were overcited, but male-male papers received disproportionately higher citation boosts.

In urologic oncology, the investigators found the lowest rate of female first and last author publications across all oncology specialties. According to Campbell, this disparity underscores the importance of initiatives like Women in Urologic Oncology, which aim to support and elevate female professionals and their contributions in the field.

Overall, Campbell emphasized that although gender representation in medicine is shifting, structural and cultural biases continue to influence academic recognition. Addressing these disparities will require targeted efforts beyond simply increasing the number of women in the field.

REFERENCE

1. Campbell RA, Helstrom E, Chew L, et al. Gender disparities in citations and Altmetric Attention Score in oncology. JCO Oncol Pract. 2025 Apr 10:OP2400767. doi:10.1200/OP-24-00767