Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Use of Immunostaining for the Diagnosis of Lymphovascular Invasion in Superficial  
Barrett’s Esophageal Adenocarcinoma  
 
Version: 0 Date: 30 Jan 2020  
 
Reviewer: Matteo Fassan  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The evaluation of LVI in early Barrett's adenocarcinoma is a hot topic in gastroesophageal 
oncology . This is an interesting study and results could be of importance for the field. My 
only concern is regarding the evaluation by a single GI pathologist. I would suggest to have 
at least two pathologists  who will independently and jointly assess the entire  series. In fact, 
most national/international guidelines support the evaluation by two different pathologists of 
cases of Barrett's high -grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma in biopsy/endoscopic material.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls ar e required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in t he past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from 
an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of 
this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content o f 
the manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or s alary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
6. Do you have any  non-financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing i nterests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be 
included  on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my 
named r eport including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the 
authors' responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative 
Commons CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that 
any comments which I do not wish to be included i n my named report can be in cluded as 
confidential comments to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Use of Immunostaining for the Diagnosis of Lymphovascular Invasion in Superficial  
Barrett’s Esophageal Adenocarcinoma  
 
Version: 0 Date: 30 Jan 2020  
 
Reviewer: Matteo Fassan  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The evaluation of LVI in early Barrett's adenocarcinoma is a hot topic in gastroesophageal 
oncology . This is an interesting study and results could be of importance for the field. My 
only concern is regarding the evaluation by a single GI pathologist. I would suggest to have 
at least two pathologists  who will independently and jointly assess the entire  series. In fact, 
most national/international guidelines support the evaluation by two different pathologists of 
cases of Barrett's high -grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma in biopsy/endoscopic material.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls ar e required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in t he past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from 
an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of 
this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content o f 
the manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or s alary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
6. Do you have any  non-financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing i nterests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be 
included  on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my 
named r eport including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the 
authors' responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative 
Commons CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that 
any comments which I do not wish to be included i n my named report can be in cluded as 
confidential comments to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Use of Immunostaining for the Diagnosis of Lymphovascular Invasion in Superficial  
Barrett’s Esophageal Adenocarcinoma  
 
Version: 0 Date: 30 Jan 2020  
 
Reviewer: Matteo Fassan  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The evaluation of LVI in early Barrett's adenocarcinoma is a hot topic in gastroesophageal 
oncology . This is an interesting study and results could be of importance for the field. My 
only concern is regarding the evaluation by a single GI pathologist. I would suggest to have 
at least two pathologists  who will independently and jointly assess the entire  series. In fact, 
most national/international guidelines support the evaluation by two different pathologists of 
cases of Barrett's high -grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma in biopsy/endoscopic material.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls ar e required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in t he past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from 
an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of 
this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content o f 
the manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or s alary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
6. Do you have any  non-financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing i nterests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be 
included  on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my 
named r eport including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the 
authors' responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative 
Commons CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that 
any comments which I do not wish to be included i n my named report can be in cluded as 
confidential comments to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant