Reviewer's report
Title:Reproductive factors and oesophageal cancer in Chinese women: a
case-control study
Version: 1Date:7 February 2011
Reviewer: Ian Beales
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting, but relatively small study. The authors have presented their
data and arguments clearly.
Major Compulsory Revisions
1. The main issues relates to the histological types of cancer studied here. There
seems to be no doubt that adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma are
different aetiolgies and pathogenesis and it would not be at all surprising if they
had different relationships to parity etc. The curren data needs representing to
provide the relationships with the two different cancers. In addition how where
these cancers diagnosed
2. What effects were made to confound for other medications - it seems quite
clear that aspirin and NSAID use protects against some forms of oesophageal
cancer, was this analyzed?
3. Some more definition is needed for some of the potentual confounding factors
- how was reflux characterised in this study? Oesophagal cancer is typically
associated with weight loss but how was the BMI related to the cases defined?
4. Please provide the relevent code numbers for the ethics and governance
approvals
Minor revisions
5. First is spelt incorrectly in the conclusions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, and I have assessed the statistics in my report.
Declaration of competing interests:
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
Reviewer's report
Title:Reproductive factors and oesophageal cancer in Chinese women: a
case-control study
Version: 1Date:7 February 2011
Reviewer: Ian Beales
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting, but relatively small study. The authors have presented their
data and arguments clearly.
Major Compulsory Revisions
1. The main issues relates to the histological types of cancer studied here. There
seems to be no doubt that adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma are
different aetiolgies and pathogenesis and it would not be at all surprising if they
had different relationships to parity etc. The curren data needs representing to
provide the relationships with the two different cancers. In addition how where
these cancers diagnosed
2. What effects were made to confound for other medications - it seems quite
clear that aspirin and NSAID use protects against some forms of oesophageal
cancer, was this analyzed?
3. Some more definition is needed for some of the potentual confounding factors
- how was reflux characterised in this study? Oesophagal cancer is typically
associated with weight loss but how was the BMI related to the cases defined?
4. Please provide the relevent code numbers for the ethics and governance
approvals
Minor revisions
5. First is spelt incorrectly in the conclusions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, and I have assessed the statistics in my report.
Declaration of competing interests:
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Reproductive factors and oesophageal cancer in Chinese women: a
case-control study
Version: 1Date:7 February 2011
Reviewer: Ian Beales
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting, but relatively small study. The authors have presented their
data and arguments clearly.
Major Compulsory Revisions
1. The main issues relates to the histological types of cancer studied here. There
seems to be no doubt that adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma are
different aetiolgies and pathogenesis and it would not be at all surprising if they
had different relationships to parity etc. The curren data needs representing to
provide the relationships with the two different cancers. In addition how where
these cancers diagnosed
2. What effects were made to confound for other medications - it seems quite
clear that aspirin and NSAID use protects against some forms of oesophageal
cancer, was this analyzed?
3. Some more definition is needed for some of the potentual confounding factors
- how was reflux characterised in this study? Oesophagal cancer is typically
associated with weight loss but how was the BMI related to the cases defined?
4. Please provide the relevent code numbers for the ethics and governance
approvals
Minor revisions
5. First is spelt incorrectly in the conclusions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, and I have assessed the statistics in my report.
Declaration of competing interests:
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
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