Title: A nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival for elderly patients with gallbladder
cancer
Version: 1 Date: 21 Jul 2022
Reviewer's report:
This is a manuscript that looks into “A nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival for
elderly patients with gallbladder cancer.” The data was extracted from the SEER database and
a univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis is used to select the
independent risks factors for elderly GBC patients. Although the topic is of interest to the reader,
there are several key points that should be addressed in the revised manuscript.
1. The authors decided to focus on elderly patient for cancer specific survival in gallbladder
cancer. Age was one of the criterions for improved survival. Does this apply to younger patients
when they present with gallbladder cancer?
2. Histology was one of the risk factors evaluated. Interestingly, there appears to be no difference
between those with adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma types. What are the subtypes of
the non-adenocarcinomas? Can the authors supply a supplementary figure outlining the types of
the non-adenocarcinoma subtypes of gallbladder cancer?
3. The authors showed that the nomogram showed improved reliability and predictability than
the TNM staging.  How is this helpful in predicting outcome at patient presentation when patients
have not undergone surgery or chemotherapy?
4. IS the nomogram still superior to TNM staging at every stage of the disease or only advanced
stages of the disease?
Minor:
1. Re-word phrases such as “to the best of our knowledge”, and “as far as we know” which are
used repetitively.    There are some grammatical errors in the paper that should be addressed.
Title: A nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival for elderly patients with gallbladder
cancer
Version: 1 Date: 21 Jul 2022
Reviewer's report:
This is a manuscript that looks into “A nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival for
elderly patients with gallbladder cancer.” The data was extracted from the SEER database and
a univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis is used to select the
independent risks factors for elderly GBC patients. Although the topic is of interest to the reader,
there are several key points that should be addressed in the revised manuscript.
1. The authors decided to focus on elderly patient for cancer specific survival in gallbladder
cancer. Age was one of the criterions for improved survival. Does this apply to younger patients
when they present with gallbladder cancer?
2. Histology was one of the risk factors evaluated. Interestingly, there appears to be no difference
between those with adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma types. What are the subtypes of
the non-adenocarcinomas? Can the authors supply a supplementary figure outlining the types of
the non-adenocarcinoma subtypes of gallbladder cancer?
3. The authors showed that the nomogram showed improved reliability and predictability than
the TNM staging.  How is this helpful in predicting outcome at patient presentation when patients
have not undergone surgery or chemotherapy?
4. IS the nomogram still superior to TNM staging at every stage of the disease or only advanced
stages of the disease?
Minor:
1. Re-word phrases such as “to the best of our knowledge”, and “as far as we know” which are
used repetitively.    There are some grammatical errors in the paper that should be addressed.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: A nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival for elderly patients with gallbladder
cancer
Version: 1 Date: 21 Jul 2022
Reviewer's report:
This is a manuscript that looks into “A nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival for
elderly patients with gallbladder cancer.” The data was extracted from the SEER database and
a univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis is used to select the
independent risks factors for elderly GBC patients. Although the topic is of interest to the reader,
there are several key points that should be addressed in the revised manuscript.
1. The authors decided to focus on elderly patient for cancer specific survival in gallbladder
cancer. Age was one of the criterions for improved survival. Does this apply to younger patients
when they present with gallbladder cancer?
2. Histology was one of the risk factors evaluated. Interestingly, there appears to be no difference
between those with adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma types. What are the subtypes of
the non-adenocarcinomas? Can the authors supply a supplementary figure outlining the types of
the non-adenocarcinoma subtypes of gallbladder cancer?
3. The authors showed that the nomogram showed improved reliability and predictability than
the TNM staging.  How is this helpful in predicting outcome at patient presentation when patients
have not undergone surgery or chemotherapy?
4. IS the nomogram still superior to TNM staging at every stage of the disease or only advanced
stages of the disease?
Minor:
1. Re-word phrases such as “to the best of our knowledge”, and “as far as we know” which are
used repetitively.    There are some grammatical errors in the paper that should be addressed.
assistant