Review for 10.1186/s12876-021-01873-8 (2021)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Comorbid early esophageal cancer and Gongylonema pulchrum infection:
a case report
Version: 
0 
Date: 
13 Jun 2021
Reviewer's report:
Review of Manuscript #BMGE-D-21-00115
"Comorbid early esophageal cancer and Gongylonema pulchrum infection: a
case report"
by Zhou et al.
Summary 
The authors present a case study of an individual with confirmed
gongylonemiasis and early esophageal cancer. The images shown are clearly
consistent with gongylonemiasis and the authors hypothesize a potential link
between parasitic infection and cancer. This is a plausible and important
hypothesis to make and while a single case study cannot demonstrate such a
connection, I believe it is worth reporting. 
Major Comments
The manuscript is short, as is the nature of case studies, but requires a broader
citation base to support the authors factual claims. This should be easily
accomplished. I have highlighted below the many instances where there is a need
for supporting citations. 
Minor Comments
Line 39: provide references at the end of each of the two sentences that end on
this line
Line 40: unclear to me what the authors mean by 'fewer than 200 cases without
serious disease' (emphasis added). It implies to me that there are some other
number of cases with serious disease, but I don't believe that is what the authors
intended here. 
Line 44: need citations to support the hypothesis that cancer is induced by the
listed causes. 
line 51: unclear to whom the quote is being attributed
Line 51: unclear what the timeline is. When was the patient admitted to the local
hospital? The admission to the second hospital was August 2018, but how long
was that after the initial visit and worm removal?
Line 87: insert 'a' between 'are' and 'suitable'
line 96: citation needed at end of sentence
line 107: citations needed
line 112: citations needed
line 118: citations needed
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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