Review for 10.1186/s12876-021-01618-7 (2021)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Development and validation of a Novel Competing Risk Model for
Predicting Survival of Esophagogastric Junction Adenocarcinoma: a SEER
population-based study and external validation
Version: 
1 
Date: 
16 Oct 2020
Reviewer's report:
PEER REVIEWER ASSESSMENTS: 
OBJECTIVE - Full research articles: is there a clear objective that addresses one
or several testable research questions? (Brief or other article types: is there a
clear objective?)
Yes - there is a clear objective
DESIGN - Is the current approach (including controls and analysis protocols)
appropriate for the objective?
Yes - the approach is appropriate
EXECUTION - Are the experiments and analyses performed with sufficient
technical rigor to allow confidence in the results?
Yes - experiments and analyses were performed appropriately
STATISTICS - Is the use of statistics in the manuscript appropriate?
Yes - appropriate statistical analyses have been used in the study
INTERPRETATION - Is the current interpretation/discussion of the results
reasonable and not overstated?
Yes - the author's interpretation is reasonable
OVERALL MANUSCRIPT POTENTIAL - Has the author addressed your
concerns sufficiently for you to now recommend the work as a technically sound
contribution? If not, can further revisions be made to make the work technically
sound?
Yes - current version is technically sound
PEER REVIEWER COMMENTS: 
GENERAL COMMENTS: While the authors have answered all the remarks of
the editor and the reviewers, this manuscript does not yield any novel findings. It
is of no surprise that T stage, N stage, grading age and 
number of lymph nodes
are predictive for the survival of patients with AEG tumors.
ADDITIONAL REQUESTS/SUGGESTIONS: 
As this is already a revised version of the manuscript no additional revision is
needed. However the manuscript itself lacks novelty. One Reviewer asked for an
external validation of the normagram. I believe that this would significantly add
to the value of this manuscript. The authors should validate their findings in an
Independent cohort from their own Hospital or from another large patient cohort.
The authors should also discuss more the Impact of the surgical treatment for
AEG carcinomas. For example the German CARDIA Trial now analyzes if
patients should undergo a purely abdominal or a abdomino-thoracic approach for
the resection. 
This is based on key publications like: Blank S et al. Gastric Cancer 2018, Heger
P et al Langenbeck's ARchives of Surgery 2019 and Parry K et al Ann Surg Onc
2014
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Is the study design appropriate to answer the research question (including the use
of appropriate controls), and are the conclusions supported by the evidence
presented?
Yes
Are the methods sufficiently described to allow the study to be repeated?
Yes
Is the use of statistics and treatment of uncertainties appropriate?
Yes
Is the presentation of the work clear?
Yes
Are the images in this manuscript (including electrophoretic gels and blots) free
from apparent manipulation?
Yes