Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Expression and Prognostic  Value of Cell -Cycle -Associated Genes in Gastric 
Adenocarcinoma  
 
Version: 2 Date: 18 Apr 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Hirotoshi  Kikuchi  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
In the manuscript by Wang D, et al., the authors have a nalyzed expression profile of cell cycle 
associated genes in gastric cancer using data from TCGA. The concept of this study and the 
results are interesting; however, the number of patients with full clinicopathological data is 
limited, and no validation an alyzes were performed using other data set or clinical samples. In 
addition, there are several points to be addressed.  
 
 
Comments:  
 
1. In Table 1, the number of NOS cases is too high to conclude that histological types are 
significantly different among five  clusters.  
 
2. In Table 1, the line for N0 cases is duplicated.  
 
3. Although patient data of cluster 1 showed relatively favorite tumor stage in Table1, their 
survival outcomes were poor in Figure 1B. The authors should explain this discrepancy.  
 
4. In the di scussion section (Page 14, Lines 42 -54), the authors described the therapeutic 
potential of various cell cycle inhibitors for gastric cancer. Because gastric cancer is known as a 
heterogeneous tumor and therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer differ from  those for leukemia, 
these sentences seem to be overstatement.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which con trols are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially fro m the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the  above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will  be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available unde r an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as  confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Expression and Prognostic  Value of Cell -Cycle -Associated Genes in Gastric 
Adenocarcinoma  
 
Version: 2 Date: 18 Apr 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Hirotoshi  Kikuchi  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
In the manuscript by Wang D, et al., the authors have a nalyzed expression profile of cell cycle 
associated genes in gastric cancer using data from TCGA. The concept of this study and the 
results are interesting; however, the number of patients with full clinicopathological data is 
limited, and no validation an alyzes were performed using other data set or clinical samples. In 
addition, there are several points to be addressed.  
 
 
Comments:  
 
1. In Table 1, the number of NOS cases is too high to conclude that histological types are 
significantly different among five  clusters.  
 
2. In Table 1, the line for N0 cases is duplicated.  
 
3. Although patient data of cluster 1 showed relatively favorite tumor stage in Table1, their 
survival outcomes were poor in Figure 1B. The authors should explain this discrepancy.  
 
4. In the di scussion section (Page 14, Lines 42 -54), the authors described the therapeutic 
potential of various cell cycle inhibitors for gastric cancer. Because gastric cancer is known as a 
heterogeneous tumor and therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer differ from  those for leukemia, 
these sentences seem to be overstatement.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which con trols are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially fro m the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the  above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will  be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available unde r an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as  confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Expression and Prognostic  Value of Cell -Cycle -Associated Genes in Gastric 
Adenocarcinoma  
 
Version: 2 Date: 18 Apr 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Hirotoshi  Kikuchi  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
In the manuscript by Wang D, et al., the authors have a nalyzed expression profile of cell cycle 
associated genes in gastric cancer using data from TCGA. The concept of this study and the 
results are interesting; however, the number of patients with full clinicopathological data is 
limited, and no validation an alyzes were performed using other data set or clinical samples. In 
addition, there are several points to be addressed.  
 
 
Comments:  
 
1. In Table 1, the number of NOS cases is too high to conclude that histological types are 
significantly different among five  clusters.  
 
2. In Table 1, the line for N0 cases is duplicated.  
 
3. Although patient data of cluster 1 showed relatively favorite tumor stage in Table1, their 
survival outcomes were poor in Figure 1B. The authors should explain this discrepancy.  
 
4. In the di scussion section (Page 14, Lines 42 -54), the authors described the therapeutic 
potential of various cell cycle inhibitors for gastric cancer. Because gastric cancer is known as a 
heterogeneous tumor and therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer differ from  those for leukemia, 
these sentences seem to be overstatement.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which con trols are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially fro m the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the  above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will  be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available unde r an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as  confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant