Reviewer's report 
 Surgical treatment and prognostic analysis for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the Title: 
small intestine: Before the era of Imatinib Mesylate 
 1  29 March 2006 Version: Date: 
 ivo De Wever Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
GeneralThe authors examined prognostic factors in a large series(100 cases) of gastrointestinal 
stromal tumors of the smaal intestine.The data are interesting because it concerns well defined cases (KIT positive)and because a large number of clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical factors were examined in univariate and multivariate analysis. 
I have no problems concerning data and methods. 
Their findings are somewhat different from the prognostic stratification as given in the consensus report(Fletcher in Human Pathol.2002)Tumor size is not a significant factor for overall survival in their series but looking at table 2 one wonders wheter the difference would not reach significance 
when tumors smaller than 5 cm are compared with tumors larger than 5 cm. 
I have a problem with the english writing and consider revision essential.Also the reference list is not 
consistent in the ordering of family names and first names. The article is worth publishing after these corrections have been made. 
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Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
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Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
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Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the What next?: 
major compulsory revisions 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
Reviewer's report 
 Surgical treatment and prognostic analysis for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the Title: 
small intestine: Before the era of Imatinib Mesylate 
 1  29 March 2006 Version: Date: 
 ivo De Wever Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
GeneralThe authors examined prognostic factors in a large series(100 cases) of gastrointestinal 
stromal tumors of the smaal intestine.The data are interesting because it concerns well defined cases (KIT positive)and because a large number of clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical factors were examined in univariate and multivariate analysis. 
I have no problems concerning data and methods. 
Their findings are somewhat different from the prognostic stratification as given in the consensus report(Fletcher in Human Pathol.2002)Tumor size is not a significant factor for overall survival in their series but looking at table 2 one wonders wheter the difference would not reach significance 
when tumors smaller than 5 cm are compared with tumors larger than 5 cm. 
I have a problem with the english writing and consider revision essential.Also the reference list is not 
consistent in the ordering of family names and first names. The article is worth publishing after these corrections have been made. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the What next?: 
major compulsory revisions 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Surgical treatment and prognostic analysis for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the Title: 
small intestine: Before the era of Imatinib Mesylate 
 1  29 March 2006 Version: Date: 
 ivo De Wever Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
GeneralThe authors examined prognostic factors in a large series(100 cases) of gastrointestinal 
stromal tumors of the smaal intestine.The data are interesting because it concerns well defined cases (KIT positive)and because a large number of clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical factors were examined in univariate and multivariate analysis. 
I have no problems concerning data and methods. 
Their findings are somewhat different from the prognostic stratification as given in the consensus report(Fletcher in Human Pathol.2002)Tumor size is not a significant factor for overall survival in their series but looking at table 2 one wonders wheter the difference would not reach significance 
when tumors smaller than 5 cm are compared with tumors larger than 5 cm. 
I have a problem with the english writing and consider revision essential.Also the reference list is not 
consistent in the ordering of family names and first names. The article is worth publishing after these corrections have been made. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the What next?: 
major compulsory revisions 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
assistant