Scientific Integrity in the Digital Age: Challenges and Responsibilities for Oncology Research

Scientific communication in oncology supports clinical and policy screening decisions by providing access to published, assessable, and verifiable evidence. In this context, scientific integrity is not only an ethical imperative but the foundation of evidence-based oncology practice. Recent data indicate an increase in retractions, associated with the expansion of paper mills, image manipulation, and methodological transparency limitations, a scenario that is aggravated by digital technologies and generative artificial intelligence (AI), which can both aid in scientific wording as well as facilitate the production of non-verifiable content. As a response, international editorial guidelines and Brazilian institutional initiatives have reinforced principles of transparency, accountability, and AI-usage disclaimers. The conclusion is that preventing misconduct requires a multifaceted approach, involving education in integrity, fraud detection, consistent investigation, and sanction policies, in addition to rigor in the use of references as a scientific literature tracking and auto-correction mechanism.