Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0848-1 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Five-year outcome of conventional and drug -eluting transcatheter arterial 
chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Mar 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Alisan  Kahraman  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only up load as attachments annotated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
 
Dear Editorial Board,  
 
the underlying manuscript compares conventional TACE with DEB -TACE in patients with 
HCC. The work is of relevance because patients were observed for a time period of 5 years.  
 
 
However, after minor revisions, this work might be accepted for publication :  
 
1. How was liver function immediately after cTACE compared to DEB -TACE ?  
 
2. Were any of the patients additionally treated with Sorafenib ?  
 
3. How many of the patients were AFP positive ? Were DCP and AFP -L3% also tested ?  
 
4. Did the authors observe serious A E as cholangitis or biloma ?  
 
 
Kind regards.  
 
Are the met hods 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 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:  
 
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 an y 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 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?  
 
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below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I hereby declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
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