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: 27 May 2016  
 
Reviewer: Kimberly J. Perez  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This was a well thought out  and performed retrospective analysis of the treatment of persons 
with advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer. After reading it through, I think the data regarding 
the performance status is much more compelling than the emphasis on age. I understand that ag e 
was the essence of your initial hypothesis but what became much more interesting was the 
impact of performance status on PFS and OS as well as dose reduction. I am very curious if you 
have any information regarding the degree of dose reduction. I know th at it is being performed 
but is there certain changes that permit greater tolerability and clinical benefit? dropping the 5FU 
bolus, across the board dose reduction, dose reduction of only the irinotecan?  
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 t he 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 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  
financi ally 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 organiz ation 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 th e 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  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under  an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be pu blished.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal