Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0914-8 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Prognostic value of progesterone receptor in solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the 
pancreas: evaluation of a  pooled case series  
 
Version: 1 Date: 04 Sep 2018  
 
Reviewer: Faten Limaïem  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The manuscript is quite well -written. However, there are several typographical errors that must 
be corrected. This study is interesting since it is the first study to evaluate that negative PR result 
could effectively predict a poorer pr ognosis of SPNP patients after surgical resection.  
The introduction is relevant and theory based. Sufficient information about the previous study 
findings is presented for readers to follow the present study rationale and procedures. The 
methods are approp riate. The results are clear and compelling. Overall, this is a good quality 
manuscript worth publishing. However, the English writing must be improved. The authors 
should introduce more recent references and follow the instructions for the authors.  
 
Speci fic comments :  
1. Avoid starting sentences with an abbreviation :  
Page 4, Line 45 : SPNP usually show benign in nature, but approximately 10 -15% of SPNP 
demonstrate malignant behavior with adjacent organ invasion, recurrence and metastasis [7 -8]. 
2. Page  5, line 15 - Page 5, line 37 (Replace KI67 by Ki67)  
 
3. Page 5, line 17 : It is not correct to start the sentence with And :  
'' And loss of progesterone receptor (PR) expression was observed in pancreatic neuroendocrine 
tumor (PanNET) patients with shor ter survival time''.  
4. Page 5, line 50 : The authors must improve this sentence : ''with confirmed diagnosis of 
SPNP in pathology'' Replace it by : with pathologically confirmed SPNP.  
 
5. Page 8, line 15 : vimentin (vim)  
Page 8, line 17 : synaptophysin ( syn) 
Page 8, line 20 : specify the abbreviation CgA : Chromogranin A (CgA)  
6. Page 11, line 23 : It is not correct to start the sentence with an abbreviation : '' PR, the 
effector of progesterone, is widely distributed ...etc''  
 
7. The authors should follow the instructions for the authors when writing the references.  
 
8. The majority of the references are not recent.  
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 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 authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in t he 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 que stions:  
 
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 o r 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 y ou 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 in terests 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  
 
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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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