Reviewer's report
Title:A novel biomarker TERTmRNA is applicable for an early detection of
hepatoma
Version: 1Date:19 September 2009
Reviewer: Michael Grusch
Reviewer's report:
The manuscript “A novel biomarker TERTmRNA is applicable for an early
detection of hepatoma” by Miura et al describes that in a study including 638
subjects (303with HCC) analysis of telomerase mRNA in serum by real-time
RT-PCR was a superior biomarker for compared to AFP, AFP-L3 and DCP in
diagnosis and detection of recurrence of HCC.
There is indeed an urgent need - and ongoing search - for improved HCC
biomarkers and the data reported here for hTERT mRNA, if confirmed, seem
promising. Important clarifications/improvements, however, have to be made by
the authors before this study can be published.
Compulsory revisions:
1) Regarding their method of TERT mRNA detection, the authors refer to an
earlier publication, but say that they used more efficient primers than in the
earlier report. Primer sequences should be given and it should be explained how
RNA controls for quantification were performed and copy numbers per ml were
derived. Are logarithmic values log2 or log10? How was exclusion of false
negatives performed? No reference at all is made to the detection of the other
markers.
2) Language editing is essential, as multiple statements are hard to interpret in
their present form.
3) Although a different approach was used, the conflict with recent data of Kong
et al (J Cancer Res Clin Oncol) should be discussed.
4) Given the assumed specificity of hTERT for immortalized cancer cells, how do
the authors interpret the apparently increased level in LC and CH compare to
healthy controls and what were the statistics of this effect?
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Reviewer's report
Title:A novel biomarker TERTmRNA is applicable for an early detection of
hepatoma
Version: 1Date:19 September 2009
Reviewer: Michael Grusch
Reviewer's report:
The manuscript “A novel biomarker TERTmRNA is applicable for an early
detection of hepatoma” by Miura et al describes that in a study including 638
subjects (303with HCC) analysis of telomerase mRNA in serum by real-time
RT-PCR was a superior biomarker for compared to AFP, AFP-L3 and DCP in
diagnosis and detection of recurrence of HCC.
There is indeed an urgent need - and ongoing search - for improved HCC
biomarkers and the data reported here for hTERT mRNA, if confirmed, seem
promising. Important clarifications/improvements, however, have to be made by
the authors before this study can be published.
Compulsory revisions:
1) Regarding their method of TERT mRNA detection, the authors refer to an
earlier publication, but say that they used more efficient primers than in the
earlier report. Primer sequences should be given and it should be explained how
RNA controls for quantification were performed and copy numbers per ml were
derived. Are logarithmic values log2 or log10? How was exclusion of false
negatives performed? No reference at all is made to the detection of the other
markers.
2) Language editing is essential, as multiple statements are hard to interpret in
their present form.
3) Although a different approach was used, the conflict with recent data of Kong
et al (J Cancer Res Clin Oncol) should be discussed.
4) Given the assumed specificity of hTERT for immortalized cancer cells, how do
the authors interpret the apparently increased level in LC and CH compare to
healthy controls and what were the statistics of this effect?
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:A novel biomarker TERTmRNA is applicable for an early detection of
hepatoma
Version: 1Date:19 September 2009
Reviewer: Michael Grusch
Reviewer's report:
The manuscript “A novel biomarker TERTmRNA is applicable for an early
detection of hepatoma” by Miura et al describes that in a study including 638
subjects (303with HCC) analysis of telomerase mRNA in serum by real-time
RT-PCR was a superior biomarker for compared to AFP, AFP-L3 and DCP in
diagnosis and detection of recurrence of HCC.
There is indeed an urgent need - and ongoing search - for improved HCC
biomarkers and the data reported here for hTERT mRNA, if confirmed, seem
promising. Important clarifications/improvements, however, have to be made by
the authors before this study can be published.
Compulsory revisions:
1) Regarding their method of TERT mRNA detection, the authors refer to an
earlier publication, but say that they used more efficient primers than in the
earlier report. Primer sequences should be given and it should be explained how
RNA controls for quantification were performed and copy numbers per ml were
derived. Are logarithmic values log2 or log10? How was exclusion of false
negatives performed? No reference at all is made to the detection of the other
markers.
2) Language editing is essential, as multiple statements are hard to interpret in
their present form.
3) Although a different approach was used, the conflict with recent data of Kong
et al (J Cancer Res Clin Oncol) should be discussed.
4) Given the assumed specificity of hTERT for immortalized cancer cells, how do
the authors interpret the apparently increased level in LC and CH compare to
healthy controls and what were the statistics of this effect?
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
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