Reviewer's report
Title:Chromosomal imbalances are uncommon in Chagasic megaesophagus
Version: 2Date:3 November 2009
Reviewer: Ulysses Jr Ribeiro
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting manuscript about the role of chromosomal unbalances in
chagasic megaesophagus patients with high risk of esophageal squamous cell
carcinoma, using FISH technology. The authors have published several papers
in high impact Journals discussing the same subject, studying other genetic
alterations. In this particular study, they could not find sufficient genomic
imbalances that could be used as markers for risk assessment of esophageal
squamous cell carcinoma in patients with chagasic megaesophagus. This is a
reasonable study and the data are well presented.
Minor Essential Revisions
In the title page, please include the Key words.
Specific comments:
Abstract:
Background: Please change: … chronic patients develop megaesophagus or
megacolon. The esophagus dilation is known as chagasic megaesophagus…..
Background: Please change for INTRODUCTION
First paragraph: …in consequence of destruction of the myoenteric and
submucous plexus by the…… The digestive forms, megaesophagus or
megacolon may be observed in advanced …..
Second para: In consequence, food retention or esophageal stasis occurs,
leading to the appearance…..
The diagnosis is frequently late, when the patient is in advanced…..
Third para: ….most frequent cause of death worldwide, but….
The Brazilian National Institute of Resarch in Cancer (INCA) reported that
esophageal cancer was the sixth in the cancer mortality in 2000 with 5,307
deaths. The estimated incidence in 2008 was 10550 new cases with an
incidence per 100 thousand individuals varying among ……
Methods: Please change to MATERIALS AND METHODS,
Subjects and Methods
Second para: Among the 40 CM patients, the mean age was 62.5 years (range:
40-83 years), and 20 were male;
The dilation grade….
2. Fluorescence in situ….
….sections were cut from paraffin-embedded blocks and…….
Results:
Sequences from chromosomes 3, 7 and 9, evaluated…..
Please change all dilatations for dilations.
Discussion
…the risk of ESCC may also be related to megaesophagus due to
Chagas’disease.
The current study detected deletion of CDKN2A…..
Please verify if all the references are correct and mentioned in the text
appropriately.
Discretionary Revisions
Questions:
Do you think that the follow up period (2 to 4 years) is adequate considering the
cancer development in this patient population? Please discuss.
Did you study patients with tumor that have developed in the megaesophagus?
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Reviewer's report
Title:Chromosomal imbalances are uncommon in Chagasic megaesophagus
Version: 2Date:3 November 2009
Reviewer: Ulysses Jr Ribeiro
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting manuscript about the role of chromosomal unbalances in
chagasic megaesophagus patients with high risk of esophageal squamous cell
carcinoma, using FISH technology. The authors have published several papers
in high impact Journals discussing the same subject, studying other genetic
alterations. In this particular study, they could not find sufficient genomic
imbalances that could be used as markers for risk assessment of esophageal
squamous cell carcinoma in patients with chagasic megaesophagus. This is a
reasonable study and the data are well presented.
Minor Essential Revisions
In the title page, please include the Key words.
Specific comments:
Abstract:
Background: Please change: … chronic patients develop megaesophagus or
megacolon. The esophagus dilation is known as chagasic megaesophagus…..
Background: Please change for INTRODUCTION
First paragraph: …in consequence of destruction of the myoenteric and
submucous plexus by the…… The digestive forms, megaesophagus or
megacolon may be observed in advanced …..
Second para: In consequence, food retention or esophageal stasis occurs,
leading to the appearance…..
The diagnosis is frequently late, when the patient is in advanced…..
Third para: ….most frequent cause of death worldwide, but….
The Brazilian National Institute of Resarch in Cancer (INCA) reported that
esophageal cancer was the sixth in the cancer mortality in 2000 with 5,307
deaths. The estimated incidence in 2008 was 10550 new cases with an
incidence per 100 thousand individuals varying among ……
Methods: Please change to MATERIALS AND METHODS,
Subjects and Methods
Second para: Among the 40 CM patients, the mean age was 62.5 years (range:
40-83 years), and 20 were male;
The dilation grade….
2. Fluorescence in situ….
….sections were cut from paraffin-embedded blocks and…….
Results:
Sequences from chromosomes 3, 7 and 9, evaluated…..
Please change all dilatations for dilations.
Discussion
…the risk of ESCC may also be related to megaesophagus due to
Chagas’disease.
The current study detected deletion of CDKN2A…..
Please verify if all the references are correct and mentioned in the text
appropriately.
Discretionary Revisions
Questions:
Do you think that the follow up period (2 to 4 years) is adequate considering the
cancer development in this patient population? Please discuss.
Did you study patients with tumor that have developed in the megaesophagus?
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Chromosomal imbalances are uncommon in Chagasic megaesophagus
Version: 2Date:3 November 2009
Reviewer: Ulysses Jr Ribeiro
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting manuscript about the role of chromosomal unbalances in
chagasic megaesophagus patients with high risk of esophageal squamous cell
carcinoma, using FISH technology. The authors have published several papers
in high impact Journals discussing the same subject, studying other genetic
alterations. In this particular study, they could not find sufficient genomic
imbalances that could be used as markers for risk assessment of esophageal
squamous cell carcinoma in patients with chagasic megaesophagus. This is a
reasonable study and the data are well presented.
Minor Essential Revisions
In the title page, please include the Key words.
Specific comments:
Abstract:
Background: Please change: … chronic patients develop megaesophagus or
megacolon. The esophagus dilation is known as chagasic megaesophagus…..
Background: Please change for INTRODUCTION
First paragraph: …in consequence of destruction of the myoenteric and
submucous plexus by the…… The digestive forms, megaesophagus or
megacolon may be observed in advanced …..
Second para: In consequence, food retention or esophageal stasis occurs,
leading to the appearance…..
The diagnosis is frequently late, when the patient is in advanced…..
Third para: ….most frequent cause of death worldwide, but….
The Brazilian National Institute of Resarch in Cancer (INCA) reported that
esophageal cancer was the sixth in the cancer mortality in 2000 with 5,307
deaths. The estimated incidence in 2008 was 10550 new cases with an
incidence per 100 thousand individuals varying among ……
Methods: Please change to MATERIALS AND METHODS,
Subjects and Methods
Second para: Among the 40 CM patients, the mean age was 62.5 years (range:
40-83 years), and 20 were male;
The dilation grade….
2. Fluorescence in situ….
….sections were cut from paraffin-embedded blocks and…….
Results:
Sequences from chromosomes 3, 7 and 9, evaluated…..
Please change all dilatations for dilations.
Discussion
…the risk of ESCC may also be related to megaesophagus due to
Chagas’disease.
The current study detected deletion of CDKN2A…..
Please verify if all the references are correct and mentioned in the text
appropriately.
Discretionary Revisions
Questions:
Do you think that the follow up period (2 to 4 years) is adequate considering the
cancer development in this patient population? Please discuss.
Did you study patients with tumor that have developed in the megaesophagus?
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
assistant