Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0812-0 (2018)

Reviewer’s report  
 
Title: The values of applying classification and counts of white blood cells to the prognostic 
evaluation of resectable gastric cancers  
 
Version: 1 Date: 20 Apr 2018  
 
Reviewer: Thomas Wex  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Authors addressed  issues raise d appropriately except the histological assessment of GC and H. 
pylori status. Even the histological evaluation concerning the Laurén type and the histological or 
serological assessment  concerning the H. pylori infection status is not part of the routine clinical 
management, these data can be assessed retrospectively since histological specimens are stored 
in every hospital, in particular if the hospital is a AAA -hospital as outlined in the answer to 
reviewer 2. Without these data, the conclusions are rath er weak, since the very limited number of 
just 104 cases is another independent relevant Limitation. It is relevant if the cancer developed 
"out of an underlying inflammation", e.g. H. pylori infection, since this is associated with 
changes of immune cells ' distribution both in mucosa and systemically.        
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 co ntrols 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 reco mmend 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 indicat e 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  
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?  
 
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'  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al. 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 m y 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 published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal