Title: Construction and validation of a survival prognostic model for stage III hepatocellular
carcinoma: a real-world, multicenter clinical study
Version: 3 Date: 05 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
In the revised manuscript, the authors addressed some raised points. However, according
to inclusion/exclusion criteria now provided, it appears that the study is focused only to
hepatocellular carcinoma patients (as also reported in table 1). Since primary liver cancer include
both HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) as well as mixed HCC/ICC, and these
cancers have different management, prognosis and treatments, the authors should change the
manuscript title referring only  to hepatocellular carcinoma and not "primary liver cancer".
Regarding the staging system,  the authors should declare in the introduction the reasons for
using the TNM staging system and  discuss in the discussion the potential impact/differences
of their results in HCC patients  if classified with the Barcelona Clinic Liver Staging System
(BCLC).  In particular, since most patients had underlying cirrhosis, they should discuss the
prognostici impact of chronic liver disease in prognosis and treatment allocation of HCC patients
which is the most significant advantage of the BCLC staging system.
This could improve the clinical impact of the study.
Title: Construction and validation of a survival prognostic model for stage III hepatocellular
carcinoma: a real-world, multicenter clinical study
Version: 3 Date: 05 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
In the revised manuscript, the authors addressed some raised points. However, according
to inclusion/exclusion criteria now provided, it appears that the study is focused only to
hepatocellular carcinoma patients (as also reported in table 1). Since primary liver cancer include
both HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) as well as mixed HCC/ICC, and these
cancers have different management, prognosis and treatments, the authors should change the
manuscript title referring only  to hepatocellular carcinoma and not "primary liver cancer".
Regarding the staging system,  the authors should declare in the introduction the reasons for
using the TNM staging system and  discuss in the discussion the potential impact/differences
of their results in HCC patients  if classified with the Barcelona Clinic Liver Staging System
(BCLC).  In particular, since most patients had underlying cirrhosis, they should discuss the
prognostici impact of chronic liver disease in prognosis and treatment allocation of HCC patients
which is the most significant advantage of the BCLC staging system.
This could improve the clinical impact of the study.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Construction and validation of a survival prognostic model for stage III hepatocellular
carcinoma: a real-world, multicenter clinical study
Version: 3 Date: 05 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
In the revised manuscript, the authors addressed some raised points. However, according
to inclusion/exclusion criteria now provided, it appears that the study is focused only to
hepatocellular carcinoma patients (as also reported in table 1). Since primary liver cancer include
both HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) as well as mixed HCC/ICC, and these
cancers have different management, prognosis and treatments, the authors should change the
manuscript title referring only  to hepatocellular carcinoma and not "primary liver cancer".
Regarding the staging system,  the authors should declare in the introduction the reasons for
using the TNM staging system and  discuss in the discussion the potential impact/differences
of their results in HCC patients  if classified with the Barcelona Clinic Liver Staging System
(BCLC).  In particular, since most patients had underlying cirrhosis, they should discuss the
prognostici impact of chronic liver disease in prognosis and treatment allocation of HCC patients
which is the most significant advantage of the BCLC staging system.
This could improve the clinical impact of the study.
assistant