Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-01439-0 (2020)

Reviewer’ s report
Title: An assessment of chromosomal alterations detected by fluorescence in situ hybridisation in
pancreatobiliary tract malignancy
Version: 3Date: 28 May 2020
Reviewer's report:
PEER REVIEWER ASSESSMENTS:
OBJECTIVE - Full research articles: is there a clear objective that addresses one or several testable
research questions? (Brief or other article types: is there a clear objective?)No - there are major issues
DESIGN - Is the current approach (including controls and analysis protocols) appropriate for the
objective?No - there are major issues
EXECUTION - Are the experiments and analyses performed with sufficient technical rigor to
allow confidence in the results?Yes - experiments and analyses were performed appropriately
STATISTICS - Is the use of statistics in the manuscript appropriate?
No - there are issues with the statistics in the study
INTERPRETATION - Is the current interpretation/discussion of the results reasonable and not
overstated?
No - there are major issues
OVERALL MANUSCRIPT POTENTIAL - Has the author addressed your concerns sufficiently
for you to now recommend the work as a technically sound contribution? If not, can furtherrevisions be made to make the work technically sound?No - manuscript has some fundamental flaw(s)
PEER REVIEWER COMMENTS:GENERAL COMMENTS: Authors have responded some of my comments and made changes in
the manuscript.
REQUESTED REVISIONS:
In the introduction authors state that hepatitis infection is a cause of pancreatobiliary neoplasms. inChina. There is no reference, and it is not a known carcinogenetic factor in pancreas tumors.The discussion in CA19-9 is not necessary.Introduction should contain the use of cytology and FISH and why the authors have decided to use
it.
Is there a reference for FISH technique being used for decades?
It is stated that if radiological reports confirmed malignancy after 6 months the patients areaccepted as malignant. Does this mean that they are treated without the definitive tissue diagnosis?Page 6 186-187 please rephrase the sentence. It is wordy and confusing.The numbers in sensitivity, specificity analysis are confusing. As an example for FISH: ifsensitivity is 40/52, then True Positive is 40 and False Negative is 12. If specificity is 13/14 thenFalse Positive is 1 and True Negative is 13. Then the positive predictive value should be 40/41 andnegative predictive value should be 13/25. Other values are not correct in this sense either.
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.
NoDoes the work include the necessary controls?
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.
NoAre the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.
NoAre 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 statisticsQuality of written English
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:
Needs some language corrections before being publishedDeclaration 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 thismanuscript, 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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If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.
This reviewer has been recruited by a partner organization, Research Square. Reviewers with
declared or apparent competing interests are not utilized for these reviews. This reviewer hasagreed to publication of their comments online under a Creative Commons Attribution Licenseattributed to Research Square and was paid a small honorarium for completing the review within aspecified timeframe. Honoraria for reviews such as this are paid regardless of the reviewerrecommendation.
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