Title: PREDICTIVE VALUES OF AN IMMUNOLOGICAL FECAL OCCULT BLOOD
TEST FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF COLORECTAL CANCER COMPARED USING
COLONOSCOPY IN SYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS IN YAOUNDE (CAMEROON)
Version: 5 Date: 21 Jan 2024
Reviewer:  Jian Zhao
Reviewer's report:
This study aimed to explore the predictive value of immunological fecal occult blood (iFOB)
test in screening CRC in SSA area. The design of this research is relatively simple, and some
key issues must be addressed before the article is published.
Major issues:
1. The introduction of the abstract can be simplified by quickly stating the purpose of this study
in 1-2 sentences
INTRODUCTION SECTION
2. “They are Clear, easy-to-interpret result It is a useful aid to detect bleeding caused by
a number of gastrointestinal disorders, such as diverticulitis, colitis, polyps, and colorectal
cancer.” This should be two sentences with punctuation in the middle, and attention should be
paid to capitalization.
3. Cited references should be increased.
MATERIALS AND METHOD SECTION
4. Test procedure: This section needs more details, such as: what equipment is being used? What
antibodies? What is the concentration?
5. How is the result of the Occult blood test determined? Is there a corresponding standard?
RESULTS SECTION
6. I suggest adding images of typical cases, including colonoscopy and iFOB tests, preferably
listing them separately based on true positive, false positive, true negative, and false negative.
DISCUSSION SECTION
7. This discussion is terrible and a lot of adjustment is required.
8. The detailed data should not be listed in the discussion section, but in the results section.
9. The organization of the discussion is not clear enough.
10. “This is in accord with other studies which have described the lower digestive bleeding as a
main indication of colonoscopy.” needs to cite comparative literature.
11. Sample size is generally used to calculate whether there is statistical efficacy. In the article,
103 patients were included, and only 17 CRC cases were included. It is necessary to calculate
the sample size to make the conclusions reliable.
12. The discussion part should focus on the progressiveness and convenience of the method you
use. Whereas demographic characteristics and indicators for colonoscopy can not be discussed.
13. “This poor PPV in SSA countries have also been described in Nigeria by Knapp et al in 2021
and by Alatise et al in 2022”.There is only one citation here, it should be two different references.
14. “For this reason, any patient who is able to run realize the colonoscopy should benefit of this
exploration if there is possible” Is this exploration referring to colonoscopy or iFOB test?
15. Failure to address substantive issues within limitations, IFOB test in symptomatic patients is
not a limitation. The limitation of this study is that the sample size is too small and the research
results have not been externally validated.
Minor issues:
1. The article contains a large number of grammar errors, it is recommended to polish the
language.
2. The font size and line spacing are inconsistent, please unify the format.
Title: PREDICTIVE VALUES OF AN IMMUNOLOGICAL FECAL OCCULT BLOOD
TEST FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF COLORECTAL CANCER COMPARED USING
COLONOSCOPY IN SYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS IN YAOUNDE (CAMEROON)
Version: 5 Date: 21 Jan 2024
Reviewer:  Jian Zhao
Reviewer's report:
This study aimed to explore the predictive value of immunological fecal occult blood (iFOB)
test in screening CRC in SSA area. The design of this research is relatively simple, and some
key issues must be addressed before the article is published.
Major issues:
1. The introduction of the abstract can be simplified by quickly stating the purpose of this study
in 1-2 sentences
INTRODUCTION SECTION
2. “They are Clear, easy-to-interpret result It is a useful aid to detect bleeding caused by
a number of gastrointestinal disorders, such as diverticulitis, colitis, polyps, and colorectal
cancer.” This should be two sentences with punctuation in the middle, and attention should be
paid to capitalization.
3. Cited references should be increased.
MATERIALS AND METHOD SECTION
4. Test procedure: This section needs more details, such as: what equipment is being used? What
antibodies? What is the concentration?
5. How is the result of the Occult blood test determined? Is there a corresponding standard?
RESULTS SECTION
6. I suggest adding images of typical cases, including colonoscopy and iFOB tests, preferably
listing them separately based on true positive, false positive, true negative, and false negative.
DISCUSSION SECTION
7. This discussion is terrible and a lot of adjustment is required.
8. The detailed data should not be listed in the discussion section, but in the results section.
9. The organization of the discussion is not clear enough.
10. “This is in accord with other studies which have described the lower digestive bleeding as a
main indication of colonoscopy.” needs to cite comparative literature.
11. Sample size is generally used to calculate whether there is statistical efficacy. In the article,
103 patients were included, and only 17 CRC cases were included. It is necessary to calculate
the sample size to make the conclusions reliable.
12. The discussion part should focus on the progressiveness and convenience of the method you
use. Whereas demographic characteristics and indicators for colonoscopy can not be discussed.
13. “This poor PPV in SSA countries have also been described in Nigeria by Knapp et al in 2021
and by Alatise et al in 2022”.There is only one citation here, it should be two different references.
14. “For this reason, any patient who is able to run realize the colonoscopy should benefit of this
exploration if there is possible” Is this exploration referring to colonoscopy or iFOB test?
15. Failure to address substantive issues within limitations, IFOB test in symptomatic patients is
not a limitation. The limitation of this study is that the sample size is too small and the research
results have not been externally validated.
Minor issues:
1. The article contains a large number of grammar errors, it is recommended to polish the
language.
2. The font size and line spacing are inconsistent, please unify the format.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: PREDICTIVE VALUES OF AN IMMUNOLOGICAL FECAL OCCULT BLOOD
TEST FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF COLORECTAL CANCER COMPARED USING
COLONOSCOPY IN SYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS IN YAOUNDE (CAMEROON)
Version: 5 Date: 21 Jan 2024
Reviewer:  Jian Zhao
Reviewer's report:
This study aimed to explore the predictive value of immunological fecal occult blood (iFOB)
test in screening CRC in SSA area. The design of this research is relatively simple, and some
key issues must be addressed before the article is published.
Major issues:
1. The introduction of the abstract can be simplified by quickly stating the purpose of this study
in 1-2 sentences
INTRODUCTION SECTION
2. “They are Clear, easy-to-interpret result It is a useful aid to detect bleeding caused by
a number of gastrointestinal disorders, such as diverticulitis, colitis, polyps, and colorectal
cancer.” This should be two sentences with punctuation in the middle, and attention should be
paid to capitalization.
3. Cited references should be increased.
MATERIALS AND METHOD SECTION
4. Test procedure: This section needs more details, such as: what equipment is being used? What
antibodies? What is the concentration?
5. How is the result of the Occult blood test determined? Is there a corresponding standard?
RESULTS SECTION
6. I suggest adding images of typical cases, including colonoscopy and iFOB tests, preferably
listing them separately based on true positive, false positive, true negative, and false negative.
DISCUSSION SECTION
7. This discussion is terrible and a lot of adjustment is required.
8. The detailed data should not be listed in the discussion section, but in the results section.
9. The organization of the discussion is not clear enough.
10. “This is in accord with other studies which have described the lower digestive bleeding as a
main indication of colonoscopy.” needs to cite comparative literature.
11. Sample size is generally used to calculate whether there is statistical efficacy. In the article,
103 patients were included, and only 17 CRC cases were included. It is necessary to calculate
the sample size to make the conclusions reliable.
12. The discussion part should focus on the progressiveness and convenience of the method you
use. Whereas demographic characteristics and indicators for colonoscopy can not be discussed.
13. “This poor PPV in SSA countries have also been described in Nigeria by Knapp et al in 2021
and by Alatise et al in 2022”.There is only one citation here, it should be two different references.
14. “For this reason, any patient who is able to run realize the colonoscopy should benefit of this
exploration if there is possible” Is this exploration referring to colonoscopy or iFOB test?
15. Failure to address substantive issues within limitations, IFOB test in symptomatic patients is
not a limitation. The limitation of this study is that the sample size is too small and the research
results have not been externally validated.
Minor issues:
1. The article contains a large number of grammar errors, it is recommended to polish the
language.
2. The font size and line spacing are inconsistent, please unify the format.
assistant