Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Feasibility of thermocoagulation in a screen -and-treat approach for the treatment of 
cervical preca ncerous lesions in sub -Saharan Africa  
 
Version: 0 Date: 05 Oct 2016  
 
Reviewer: Matthias Jentschke  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is a nice feasibility study about the treatment of cervical dysplasia using thermocoagulation. 
There are only minor revisions needed to further clarify every detail about the study:  
On page 7 ("Study participants and procedure") please explain the self -sampling procedure 
including the self -sampling devices used in more detail. Did the women recieve any help during 
the self -sampling procedure or did they do it by themselves.  
On page 7 , line 23 please delete "were".  
On page 7, line 36 please discribe which human gene is used as reference gene.  
Please also explain, how much time the Xpert HPV Test takes to analyze the sample for the 
presence of HPV. Was it really a "screen -and-treat" a pproach whith the women waiting for their 
HPV test result and then recieving VIA/VILI or did they have to come again?  
Please give some more information about the Xpert HPV Test: is it certified for cervical cancer 
screening, are there any validation studi es? 
Please explain in "BACKGROUND" or in "DISKUSSION" why you chose this triage algorithm 
(HPV 16, 18, 45 for immediate treatment; other HR -HPV for VIA/VILI).  
Could you give any information about the costs of the HPV assay and the thermocoagulation 
process . 
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 m anuscript 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 year s 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 a ny 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 received payment for travel expenses and lecture fees from Abbott Molecular GmbH & Co.  
KG, Wiesbaden, Germany.  
 
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 i n 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