In 2026, many CCO authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and insights among the peers.

Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspective and insightful view as authors.

Outstanding Authors (2026)

Shigenori Kadowaki, Aichi Cancer Center, Japan

Toru Mukohara, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan

Outstanding Author

Shigenori Kadowaki

Dr. Shigenori Kadowaki is a medical oncologist in the Department of Clinical Oncology at Aichi Cancer Center. His research focuses on developing systemic therapies for gastrointestinal and head and neck malignancies, including thyroid and salivary gland cancers. His mission is to translate promising therapeutic advances into meaningful treatment options for patients. He currently serves as the principal investigator of the FUSION trial, an investigator-initiated randomized phase II trial of fruquintinib in patients with salivary gland cancer. Because the trial targets rare cancers, he is incorporating decentralized clinical trial elements to reduce patient burden, broaden access, and accelerate study conduct. He is also actively involved in clinical trials evaluating novel agents for upper gastrointestinal and head and neck cancers. In addition, he contributes to collaborative efforts to advance oncology real-world data by transforming routinely collected clinical information into structured, research-ready data that can support precision oncology, drug development, and improved patient outcomes.

Dr. Kadowaki thinks that academic writing plays a fundamental role in science by communicating research findings clearly, rigorously, and transparently to the broader scientific community. Scientific progress is built upon the substantial efforts of many researchers over time, and he believes that publishing one’s work in academic papers is an essential responsibility of researchers. By sharing their findings in this way, they help ensure that current knowledge can be critically evaluated, built upon, and carried forward to future advances.

To ensure that his writing remains up-to-date, Dr. Kadowaki continuously follows the latest evidence through scientific meetings, peer-reviewed publications, and ongoing clinical trial developments. Given the rapid pace of scientific progress, he believes it is also important to accelerate the research and writing process so that knowledge does not become outdated before it is shared. At the same time, he aims not only to summarize emerging evidence but also to interpret it in light of unmet clinical needs, limitations of existing data, and gaps between clinical trials and real-world practice. By integrating the latest evidence with clinical and research experience, he hopes to provide perspectives that can offer new insights to the field.

“Although the responsibilities of being a physician and scientist are demanding, I regard manuscript writing as an essential responsibility rather than merely the final administrative step of research. In reality, however, it is not always easy to secure dedicated time for writing as planned. Clinical practice, clinical trial activities, education, and collaborative research often overlap, and manuscript preparation can sometimes be delayed. This remains an ongoing challenge for me. At the same time, I believe that publishing our findings is indispensable for sharing knowledge, advancing science, and ultimately improving patient care. Therefore, I try to remain attentive to research questions that arise from daily clinical practice and clinical trial activities, and to organize data interpretation and key messages at an early stage. I also try to break manuscript preparation into smaller tasks, such as outlining the key message, reviewing data, drafting specific sections, and revising the manuscript, so that I can make progress even during limited periods of time. Although this cannot always be achieved perfectly, I am committed to continuing these efforts and to consciously making time for writing as part of my responsibility as a medical oncologist and clinical researcher,” says Dr. Kadowaki.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)

Toru Mukohara

Dr. Toru Mukohara is a medical oncologist who primarily treats patients with breast cancer. He received his M.D. from Osaka City University and later completed postdoctoral training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he studied experimental therapeutics regarding epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in lung cancer. Upon returning to Japan, he worked as a physician-scientist at the National Cancer Center Hospital East (NCCHE) and the Kobe University Hospital. Since 2017, he has served as Chief of the Department of Medical Oncology at NCCHE. His research focuses on predictive biomarkers that determine sensitivity or resistance to molecularly targeted drugs. He is also involved in many clinical trials for the development of breast cancer treatments.

Dr. Mukohara thinks that academic writing is the primary and legitimate way to share researchers’ findings and thoughts publicly. It is important not only for developing an academic career based on publications, impact factors, etc., but also from other perspectives. For young doctors, academic writing offers excellent training in logical and scientific thinking, as well as in effectively sharing their ideas with peers. Academic writing allows researchers to express their interests and expertise and connect with a broader world that they cannot access in their daily life.

As a researcher from a non-English-speaking country, Dr. Mukohara asserts that language is a big challenge in writing. However, he thinks the most important skill is the ability to present information logically. Great academic writing is always logical and easy to read.

“As a trainee, I wrote an article that my supervisor would modify or almost replace because it was so premature. Now, I often review drafts written by junior doctors and have noticed an improvement in quality, which I believe is at least partly thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) support. While AI makes my job easier, I wonder if it is good for developing logical thinking and writing skills. I think AI may widen the gap between individuals who use it to enhance their own thinking and those who simply follow it,” says Dr. Mukohara.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)