Review for 10.1186/s12876-017-0709-3 (2017)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Palliative chemotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a retrospective cohort analysis of 
efficacy and toxicity of the FOLFIRINOX regimen focusing on the older patient  
 
Version: 0 Date: 02 Aug 2016  
 
Reviewer: Teresa Macarulla  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This paper represents an effort to retrospective analyze a uni -center experience with folfirinox.  
The paper is nicely written and competent. The issue discussed in this article is worthy of 
investigation, as the authors discussed in the artic le, patients with pancreatic cancer and older age 
are underrepresented in the clinical trials.  
However you have to include more patients with older age treated with this regimen. Only 17% 
of the patients are older in your series.  
Also you have to explain  the data of the MPACT trial, because you made a reference in the 
manuscript without to explain the results.  
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 no t, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
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 manu script 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.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written E nglish  
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 future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you recei ved 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.  
 
No conflict  of interest  
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
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to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal