Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Mechanism of metastasis to the spermatic cord and testis from advanced gastric cancer: a  
case report  
 
Version: 0 Date: 07 Mar 2020  
 
Reviewer: Yi-Sheng Liu  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors present a case of metastasis to the spermatic cord and testis from advanced gastric 
cancer. Imaging revealed an irregular elongated mass and a round mass along right inguinal 
canal, and a diagnosis of metastasis from gastric cancer was made aft er US -guided biopsy. The 
case is simply interesting, particularly for the metastatic lymph node at the aortocaval space 
implied the metastasis pathway. However, the possible diagnosis of primary sarcoma on the 
images should not be excluded only by the inci dence is very rare. To mention more about the 
components and signal intensities of the lesions along right inguinal canal would be helpful to 
exclude primary sarcoma in inguinal canal, such as liposarcoma.  
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and  well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional st atistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
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 from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the fut ure? 
 
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.  
 
1. In the past five years, I haven't 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. I don't hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any  way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future.  
3. I don't hold and apply for any patents relating to the content  of the manuscript.  
4. I haven't received  reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents  relating to the content of the manuscript.  
5. I don't have any other financial competing interests.  
6. I don't have a ny non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper.  
 
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 under an Open Acc ess 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: Mechanism of metastasis to the spermatic cord and testis from advanced gastric cancer: a  
case report  
 
Version: 0 Date: 07 Mar 2020  
 
Reviewer: Yi-Sheng Liu  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors present a case of metastasis to the spermatic cord and testis from advanced gastric 
cancer. Imaging revealed an irregular elongated mass and a round mass along right inguinal 
canal, and a diagnosis of metastasis from gastric cancer was made aft er US -guided biopsy. The 
case is simply interesting, particularly for the metastatic lymph node at the aortocaval space 
implied the metastasis pathway. However, the possible diagnosis of primary sarcoma on the 
images should not be excluded only by the inci dence is very rare. To mention more about the 
components and signal intensities of the lesions along right inguinal canal would be helpful to 
exclude primary sarcoma in inguinal canal, such as liposarcoma.  
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and  well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional st atistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
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 from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the fut ure? 
 
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.  
 
1. In the past five years, I haven't 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. I don't hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any  way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future.  
3. I don't hold and apply for any patents relating to the content  of the manuscript.  
4. I haven't received  reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents  relating to the content of the manuscript.  
5. I don't have any other financial competing interests.  
6. I don't have a ny non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper.  
 
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 under an Open Acc ess 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: Mechanism of metastasis to the spermatic cord and testis from advanced gastric cancer: a  
case report  
 
Version: 0 Date: 07 Mar 2020  
 
Reviewer: Yi-Sheng Liu  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors present a case of metastasis to the spermatic cord and testis from advanced gastric 
cancer. Imaging revealed an irregular elongated mass and a round mass along right inguinal 
canal, and a diagnosis of metastasis from gastric cancer was made aft er US -guided biopsy. The 
case is simply interesting, particularly for the metastatic lymph node at the aortocaval space 
implied the metastasis pathway. However, the possible diagnosis of primary sarcoma on the 
images should not be excluded only by the inci dence is very rare. To mention more about the 
components and signal intensities of the lesions along right inguinal canal would be helpful to 
exclude primary sarcoma in inguinal canal, such as liposarcoma.  
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and  well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional st atistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
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 from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the fut ure? 
 
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.  
 
1. In the past five years, I haven't 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. I don't hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any  way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future.  
3. I don't hold and apply for any patents relating to the content  of the manuscript.  
4. I haven't received  reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents  relating to the content of the manuscript.  
5. I don't have any other financial competing interests.  
6. I don't have a ny non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper.  
 
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 under an Open Acc ess 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