Review for 10.1186/s12876-015-0384-1 (2015)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Association between HER2 status in gastric cancer and clinicopathological features: a  
retrospective study using whole -tissue sections  
 
Version: 0 Date: 25 Aug 2015  
 
Reviewer: Rocco Cappellesso  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is an interesting work about HER2 status in gastric cancers of a Brazilian population that 
tries to clarify the role of ethnicity in the different rate of HER2 positivity worldwide reported in 
literature. The topic is well presented and the methods an d the results are clearly described. 
However, I have some major concerns:  
 
- The percentage of HER2 positive cases in the present Brazilian series are in line with a 
recent large European series (Cappellesso R et al. Hum Pathol. 2015 May;46(5):665 -72) 
but l ower than a Japanese cohort of patients (Matsusaka S et al. Gastric Cancer. 2015. 
Epub ahead of print). However, I disagree with the explanation of the authors that such 
difference is due to "the lower frequency of tumors arising at the gastroesophageal 
junction in  comparison with distal gastric carcinomas in Brazilian patients". Indeed, the 
evidences from both these papers sustain the lack of difference between the prossimal 
and distal gastric cancers. The authors should deal more in depth with this topic . 
 
- In addition to ethnicity, also a short comment about differences in dietary habits should 
be added.  
 
Minor concerns:  
 
- There are some typos.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the autho rs. 
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls 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 a uthors.  
 
Yes 
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 am able to assess the statistics  
 
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 public ation 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 curre ntly 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 g ive details below.  
 
None to declare.  
 
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to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal