Reviewer's report
Title:No Role for Glutathione S-Transferase Genotypes in Caucasian
Esophageal Squamous Cell or Adenocarcinoma Etiology: an European
Case-Control Study
Version: 2Date:24 April 2013
Reviewer: liam J murray
Reviewer's report:
Comment 1. This is an interesting and well written paper which builds on
previous studies that have examined the role of genetic variants of Glutathione
S-transferases (GSTs) with respect to the aetiology of esophageal cancer. Most
work in this field has examined the aetiology of squamous cell carcinoma rather
than oesophageal adenocarcinoma and has primarily been from Asian studies so
this paper is a welcome addition to the literature in the field.
Comment 2. In general, the methods used are well described and appropriate.
Inclusion of response rates for cases and controls would have been a useful
addition to enable the reader to guage how representative these groups are of
the patient and reference populations (Discretionary revision).
Comment 3. The examination of interactions between genes is interesting and
potentially informative analsysis, however it would be useful if the authors could
comment on whether this was an a priori objective and point to other examples in
the literature where similar approaches have been used. (Minor Essential
Revision)
Comment 4. The results presented are interpreted as indicating no association
between the polymorphisms examined and aetiology of cancer of either
histological type. However in general the estimates for the low activity genotypes
for squamous cell carcinoma are consistently below unity. The confidence
intervals are very wide because of low number of these cancers included in the
study. The authors should discuss more fully the lack of power of their study,
especially with respect to the findings for squamous cell carcinoma. Low power is
additionally an issue for the interaction analyses. (Minor Essential Revision)
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Reviewer's report
Title:No Role for Glutathione S-Transferase Genotypes in Caucasian
Esophageal Squamous Cell or Adenocarcinoma Etiology: an European
Case-Control Study
Version: 2Date:24 April 2013
Reviewer: liam J murray
Reviewer's report:
Comment 1. This is an interesting and well written paper which builds on
previous studies that have examined the role of genetic variants of Glutathione
S-transferases (GSTs) with respect to the aetiology of esophageal cancer. Most
work in this field has examined the aetiology of squamous cell carcinoma rather
than oesophageal adenocarcinoma and has primarily been from Asian studies so
this paper is a welcome addition to the literature in the field.
Comment 2. In general, the methods used are well described and appropriate.
Inclusion of response rates for cases and controls would have been a useful
addition to enable the reader to guage how representative these groups are of
the patient and reference populations (Discretionary revision).
Comment 3. The examination of interactions between genes is interesting and
potentially informative analsysis, however it would be useful if the authors could
comment on whether this was an a priori objective and point to other examples in
the literature where similar approaches have been used. (Minor Essential
Revision)
Comment 4. The results presented are interpreted as indicating no association
between the polymorphisms examined and aetiology of cancer of either
histological type. However in general the estimates for the low activity genotypes
for squamous cell carcinoma are consistently below unity. The confidence
intervals are very wide because of low number of these cancers included in the
study. The authors should discuss more fully the lack of power of their study,
especially with respect to the findings for squamous cell carcinoma. Low power is
additionally an issue for the interaction analyses. (Minor Essential Revision)
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:No Role for Glutathione S-Transferase Genotypes in Caucasian
Esophageal Squamous Cell or Adenocarcinoma Etiology: an European
Case-Control Study
Version: 2Date:24 April 2013
Reviewer: liam J murray
Reviewer's report:
Comment 1. This is an interesting and well written paper which builds on
previous studies that have examined the role of genetic variants of Glutathione
S-transferases (GSTs) with respect to the aetiology of esophageal cancer. Most
work in this field has examined the aetiology of squamous cell carcinoma rather
than oesophageal adenocarcinoma and has primarily been from Asian studies so
this paper is a welcome addition to the literature in the field.
Comment 2. In general, the methods used are well described and appropriate.
Inclusion of response rates for cases and controls would have been a useful
addition to enable the reader to guage how representative these groups are of
the patient and reference populations (Discretionary revision).
Comment 3. The examination of interactions between genes is interesting and
potentially informative analsysis, however it would be useful if the authors could
comment on whether this was an a priori objective and point to other examples in
the literature where similar approaches have been used. (Minor Essential
Revision)
Comment 4. The results presented are interpreted as indicating no association
between the polymorphisms examined and aetiology of cancer of either
histological type. However in general the estimates for the low activity genotypes
for squamous cell carcinoma are consistently below unity. The confidence
intervals are very wide because of low number of these cancers included in the
study. The authors should discuss more fully the lack of power of their study,
especially with respect to the findings for squamous cell carcinoma. Low power is
additionally an issue for the interaction analyses. (Minor Essential Revision)
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
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