Reviewer's report
Title:The VEGF -634G>C promoter polymorphism is associated with risk of
gastric cancer
Version: 1Date:6 July 2009
Reviewer: Xinru Wang
Reviewer's report:
The authors studied correlation between genetic polymorphisms of TGF-ß1 and
VEGF genes and gastric cancer in a case-control study consisting of 171
patients with gastric cancer and 353 cancer-free controls. They found that
VEGF-634G>C SNP may contribute to the risk of developing gastric cancer.
General comments:
The experiment seems well performed and data are clearly exposed. The results
are of interest, although the sample sizes are rather small.
However, several points deserve great attention.
1. In table 3, the reason why the authors have chosen the age 57 years as the
cut-off value is not clear and should be explained.
2. The data show that the genotype frequencies of the VEGF -634CG
heterozygous was significantly higher in cases (42.1%) than the controls
(28.0%), and the authors got the conclusion that VEGF-634G>C SNP may be
associated with susceptibility to gastric cancer. Intuitively one would think that the
CC genotype may have a stronger association with the risk of gastric cancer.
However, from the table 2, it shows that VEGF -634CC genotype was less
frequent in the cases (17.5%) than in the controls (21.0%). This issue should be
discussed.
3. The interesting aspect of the alcohol use effects should be discussed more
intensively, and explain how the genetic effects was more profound in the never
drinkers.
Recommendation: Major Compulsory Revisions
Reviewer's report
Title:The VEGF -634G>C promoter polymorphism is associated with risk of
gastric cancer
Version: 1Date:6 July 2009
Reviewer: Xinru Wang
Reviewer's report:
The authors studied correlation between genetic polymorphisms of TGF-ß1 and
VEGF genes and gastric cancer in a case-control study consisting of 171
patients with gastric cancer and 353 cancer-free controls. They found that
VEGF-634G>C SNP may contribute to the risk of developing gastric cancer.
General comments:
The experiment seems well performed and data are clearly exposed. The results
are of interest, although the sample sizes are rather small.
However, several points deserve great attention.
1. In table 3, the reason why the authors have chosen the age 57 years as the
cut-off value is not clear and should be explained.
2. The data show that the genotype frequencies of the VEGF -634CG
heterozygous was significantly higher in cases (42.1%) than the controls
(28.0%), and the authors got the conclusion that VEGF-634G>C SNP may be
associated with susceptibility to gastric cancer. Intuitively one would think that the
CC genotype may have a stronger association with the risk of gastric cancer.
However, from the table 2, it shows that VEGF -634CC genotype was less
frequent in the cases (17.5%) than in the controls (21.0%). This issue should be
discussed.
3. The interesting aspect of the alcohol use effects should be discussed more
intensively, and explain how the genetic effects was more profound in the never
drinkers.
Recommendation: Major Compulsory Revisions
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:The VEGF -634G>C promoter polymorphism is associated with risk of
gastric cancer
Version: 1Date:6 July 2009
Reviewer: Xinru Wang
Reviewer's report:
The authors studied correlation between genetic polymorphisms of TGF-ß1 and
VEGF genes and gastric cancer in a case-control study consisting of 171
patients with gastric cancer and 353 cancer-free controls. They found that
VEGF-634G>C SNP may contribute to the risk of developing gastric cancer.
General comments:
The experiment seems well performed and data are clearly exposed. The results
are of interest, although the sample sizes are rather small.
However, several points deserve great attention.
1. In table 3, the reason why the authors have chosen the age 57 years as the
cut-off value is not clear and should be explained.
2. The data show that the genotype frequencies of the VEGF -634CG
heterozygous was significantly higher in cases (42.1%) than the controls
(28.0%), and the authors got the conclusion that VEGF-634G>C SNP may be
associated with susceptibility to gastric cancer. Intuitively one would think that the
CC genotype may have a stronger association with the risk of gastric cancer.
However, from the table 2, it shows that VEGF -634CC genotype was less
frequent in the cases (17.5%) than in the controls (21.0%). This issue should be
discussed.
3. The interesting aspect of the alcohol use effects should be discussed more
intensively, and explain how the genetic effects was more profound in the never
drinkers.
Recommendation: Major Compulsory Revisions
assistant