Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1098-6 (2019)

Reviewer’s report
Title: Application value of nomogram and prognostic factors of gastric cancer patients who underwent
D2 radical lymphadenectomy
Version: 0 Date: 29 Jul 2019
Reviewer: Amy Tyberg
Reviewer's report:
This is a nicely written retrospective study looking at prognostic factors of gastric cancer survival after
surgical resection, as well as evaluating a new nomogram to predict post-surgical survival. 
A few comments: 
1. The  authors  state  that  patients  who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy were excluded.
However, there are some patients with stage III tumors included in the study which generally would
quality for neoadjuvant therapy. Why were these patients not given neoadjuvant therapy? 
2. I am surprised that tumor histology was not a prognostic factor. Signet cell tumors are considered
more aggressive and higher risk tumors. How do you explain in this study that the histology was not
significant? Were these tumors all earlier stage than other tumor histologies? 
3. Was any subgroup analysis done on survival? Aka could BMI be more associated with surgical
risk/mortality rather than disease recurrence mortality? It might be useful to have a nomogram looking
at disease-free survival rather than overall survival. 
4. Negative margins was not listed as a data point - was this looked at? 
5. The authors state that having a nomogram could be helpful in formulating individualized treatment
decision-making for patients - how do they anticipate this would change clinical practice? Changing
surveillance intervals? Neoadjuvant therapy for higher risk patients?
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 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 recommend additional statistical review
Quality of written English
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:
Acceptable
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