Title: Clinical efficacy of TACE using coil or gelatin sponge combined with targeted therapy
in the treatment of giant hepatocellular carcinoma with arterioportal fistulas
Version: 0 Date: 24 Mar 2025
Reviewer:  Sirui Fu
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting study comparing coil or gelatin sponge combined with targeted therapy
for giant hepatocellular carcinoma with arterioportal fistulas. Dr. Wu et.al provided evidence
in the efficacy of HCC treatment decision making. However, there are some questions to be
further answer:
1. In the background, the author said “The treatment of HCC combined with cancer thrombi and
arteriovenous fistula is complex, and the prognosis is worse compared to that of HCC alone”,
please give detailed description for the “complex”, and explain why theoretically TACE should
be combined with targeted therapy.
2. In the materials and methods section, the author should declared between OS and PFS, which
one is first outcome, and which is the second outcome.
3. In the Results section, the table 3 showed that the proportion of liver cirrhosis is very low,
considering most HCC were caused by HBV in China. So the cirrhosis is diagnosed by biopsy
or it is just radiological signs for cirrhosis, the author should declare it.
4. In the Results section, in the survival analysis and associated prognostic factors, OS is usually
expressed by median and interquartile range, not mean and SD.
Title: Clinical efficacy of TACE using coil or gelatin sponge combined with targeted therapy
in the treatment of giant hepatocellular carcinoma with arterioportal fistulas
Version: 0 Date: 24 Mar 2025
Reviewer:  Sirui Fu
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting study comparing coil or gelatin sponge combined with targeted therapy
for giant hepatocellular carcinoma with arterioportal fistulas. Dr. Wu et.al provided evidence
in the efficacy of HCC treatment decision making. However, there are some questions to be
further answer:
1. In the background, the author said “The treatment of HCC combined with cancer thrombi and
arteriovenous fistula is complex, and the prognosis is worse compared to that of HCC alone”,
please give detailed description for the “complex”, and explain why theoretically TACE should
be combined with targeted therapy.
2. In the materials and methods section, the author should declared between OS and PFS, which
one is first outcome, and which is the second outcome.
3. In the Results section, the table 3 showed that the proportion of liver cirrhosis is very low,
considering most HCC were caused by HBV in China. So the cirrhosis is diagnosed by biopsy
or it is just radiological signs for cirrhosis, the author should declare it.
4. In the Results section, in the survival analysis and associated prognostic factors, OS is usually
expressed by median and interquartile range, not mean and SD.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Clinical efficacy of TACE using coil or gelatin sponge combined with targeted therapy
in the treatment of giant hepatocellular carcinoma with arterioportal fistulas
Version: 0 Date: 24 Mar 2025
Reviewer:  Sirui Fu
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting study comparing coil or gelatin sponge combined with targeted therapy
for giant hepatocellular carcinoma with arterioportal fistulas. Dr. Wu et.al provided evidence
in the efficacy of HCC treatment decision making. However, there are some questions to be
further answer:
1. In the background, the author said “The treatment of HCC combined with cancer thrombi and
arteriovenous fistula is complex, and the prognosis is worse compared to that of HCC alone”,
please give detailed description for the “complex”, and explain why theoretically TACE should
be combined with targeted therapy.
2. In the materials and methods section, the author should declared between OS and PFS, which
one is first outcome, and which is the second outcome.
3. In the Results section, the table 3 showed that the proportion of liver cirrhosis is very low,
considering most HCC were caused by HBV in China. So the cirrhosis is diagnosed by biopsy
or it is just radiological signs for cirrhosis, the author should declare it.
4. In the Results section, in the survival analysis and associated prognostic factors, OS is usually
expressed by median and interquartile range, not mean and SD.
assistant