Title: Feasibility, Efficacy, and Safety of Ventral Caudal Artery Access for Transarterial
Chemoembolization in a Rat Hepatocellular Carcinoma Model
Version: 2 Date: 02 May 2025
Reviewer:  Anwar Ashraf Abouelnasr
Reviewer's report:
While the study is clearly a preliminary investigation, some points still require small
improvements for enhanced clarity and scientific rigor:
-Generalizability to Larger Models: Although the study is limited to a rat model, a brief
acknowledgment of how anatomical differences may affect the translation to larger animal
models (e.g., rabbits or swine) would enhance the contextual value of the findings.
-Additional Efficacy Metrics: The use of tumor necrosis as the sole efficacy endpoint is
understandable in a preliminary study. Nonetheless, a short justification for the exclusion of
other measures such as tumor size or survival rates should be included in the discussion to
address potential concerns regarding the comprehensiveness of the evaluation.
-Comparison to Clinical Standards: While the authors clarify that hepatic artery access is outside
the study scope, a brief mention or reference to clinical TACE access routes (e.g., femoral or
radial) would strengthen the translational relevance of the study.
Procedural Challenges: The authors report a 100% success rate, which is commendable.
However, explicitly stating whether any technical difficulties were observed during VCA access
would add transparency and practical value for future preclinical applications.
Title: Feasibility, Efficacy, and Safety of Ventral Caudal Artery Access for Transarterial
Chemoembolization in a Rat Hepatocellular Carcinoma Model
Version: 2 Date: 02 May 2025
Reviewer:  Anwar Ashraf Abouelnasr
Reviewer's report:
While the study is clearly a preliminary investigation, some points still require small
improvements for enhanced clarity and scientific rigor:
-Generalizability to Larger Models: Although the study is limited to a rat model, a brief
acknowledgment of how anatomical differences may affect the translation to larger animal
models (e.g., rabbits or swine) would enhance the contextual value of the findings.
-Additional Efficacy Metrics: The use of tumor necrosis as the sole efficacy endpoint is
understandable in a preliminary study. Nonetheless, a short justification for the exclusion of
other measures such as tumor size or survival rates should be included in the discussion to
address potential concerns regarding the comprehensiveness of the evaluation.
-Comparison to Clinical Standards: While the authors clarify that hepatic artery access is outside
the study scope, a brief mention or reference to clinical TACE access routes (e.g., femoral or
radial) would strengthen the translational relevance of the study.
Procedural Challenges: The authors report a 100% success rate, which is commendable.
However, explicitly stating whether any technical difficulties were observed during VCA access
would add transparency and practical value for future preclinical applications.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Feasibility, Efficacy, and Safety of Ventral Caudal Artery Access for Transarterial
Chemoembolization in a Rat Hepatocellular Carcinoma Model
Version: 2 Date: 02 May 2025
Reviewer:  Anwar Ashraf Abouelnasr
Reviewer's report:
While the study is clearly a preliminary investigation, some points still require small
improvements for enhanced clarity and scientific rigor:
-Generalizability to Larger Models: Although the study is limited to a rat model, a brief
acknowledgment of how anatomical differences may affect the translation to larger animal
models (e.g., rabbits or swine) would enhance the contextual value of the findings.
-Additional Efficacy Metrics: The use of tumor necrosis as the sole efficacy endpoint is
understandable in a preliminary study. Nonetheless, a short justification for the exclusion of
other measures such as tumor size or survival rates should be included in the discussion to
address potential concerns regarding the comprehensiveness of the evaluation.
-Comparison to Clinical Standards: While the authors clarify that hepatic artery access is outside
the study scope, a brief mention or reference to clinical TACE access routes (e.g., femoral or
radial) would strengthen the translational relevance of the study.
Procedural Challenges: The authors report a 100% success rate, which is commendable.
However, explicitly stating whether any technical difficulties were observed during VCA access
would add transparency and practical value for future preclinical applications.
assistant