Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Profiles of lipids, blood pressure and weight chan ges among premenopausal Chinese 
breast  cancer patients after adjuvant chemotherapy  
 
Version: 0 Date: 31 Mar 2017  
 
Reviewer: Brandy -Joe Milliron  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Summary  
 
This manuscript describes changes in body weight, blood pressure, and fasting lipid levels 
among premenopausal breast cancer patients in Hong Kong.  
 
 
 
 
General Comme nts 
 
* While the findings are interesting and add to the evidence base, much more detail should be 
included in this manuscript.  
 
 
* Language should be revised for accuracy and clarity. Spelling and grammar errors need to be 
revised throughout.  
 
 
 
 
Specific Comm ents 
 
Abstract:  
 
* Please briefly describe the setting or source of the data.  
 
 
* Please mention age range in parentheses.  
 
 
* The abstracts included in the submission have different titles in first section (Purpose vs 
Background). These should probably be the s ame unless otherwise indicated by the Journal 
instructions for authors.  
 
 
Introduction: (P4)  
 
* Line 32: Consider replacing "West" with specific names of countries.  
 
 
* Tense changes. Please use consistent past tense when reviewing the literature.  
 
 
* "Backgroun d Section" could be revised to "Background."  
 
 
* Including information about the prevalence of breast cancer (and other relevant details)  in 
Hong Kong would add interesting context.  Does the prevalence of breast cancer in Hong Kong 
differ from the prevalen ce in China?   
 
 
* Elevated risk for CVD outcomes in relation to breast cancer treatment regimen should be better 
described to provide a stronger rationale.  
 
 
 
 
Objective(s):  
 
* P4, Line 50: Please add "women" after "Chinese"  
 
 
* P4, Line 50: Consider rewording s o that this sentence reads 'The objectives of this prospective 
cross -sectional study… were to (1)… ; and (2) …  
 
 
* P5, Line 4: Please add "and" before "(2)" and delete "to" if suggested revision from above is 
made.  
 
 
 
Patients and Methods  
 
* Please describe the setting and source of patients in detail.  
 
 
* How were patients recruited?  
 
 
* Where was data collected?  In person? Internet? By phone or mail?  
 
Data Collection:  
 
* P6, Lines 44 -45: Please revise for clarity.  It does not appear that this  sentence is completed 
either. Please replace "fill in" with "complete"  
 
 
* P6, Line 32: Please list variables in parentheses after each category.  For example: "Patients' 
demographics (X, X, and X), cancer characteristics (X, X, and X) …" or something simil ar.   
 
 
* P6, Line 44: Was menstrual history the only item on the study questionnaire? If so, say so.  If 
not, please provide details of content.  
 
 
 
Definitions:  
 
* P6, Line 54: Instead of referring to reference 14, please redefine menstrual status.  If this is  
simply the definition on Line 59, delete that opening sentence on Line 54.  
 
 
* P7, Line 9: How did the authors determine that weight gain is considered >2% increase. Please 
provide reference(s).  
 
 
 
Results:  
 
* How many patients were approached for participati on?  Did data collection occur in person (or 
how) on one single occasion?  Where was data collected?  Much more detail should be included 
regarding data collection and source of participants.  
 
 
* What were the socio -demographic characteristics of the popula tion? —Education, socio -
economic status, employment status, etc?  These are included in Table 1 and should be described 
in the body of the manuscript, and included in analyses.  
 
 
* P8, Line 41: Was body weight at diagnosis self -reported? If so, this should be  mentioned in the 
methods.  Was it part of the questionnaire?  More details should be included throughout the 
methods.  
 
 
* P9, Line 9 and throughout: Please use consistent text format when writing numbers.  Generally, 
single digits are spelled and more than  single digit numbers are listed in numerical form, unless 
they are at the very beginning of a sentence.  
* Tables 1 -4 should be described in greater detail in the body of the manuscript.  
 
 
 
 
Discussion:  
 
* Overall, the discussion should be revised for clarit y and organization.   
 
 
* P11, Line 9: Please revise error - Should read "With increases in survival…" or "With 
increased survival…"  
 
 
* P11, Line 14: Please list physical morbidities and psychosocial issues.  
 
 
* P11, Line 21: Please revise "aspects" to somethin g else. Perhaps "changes?" Also, revise error 
"weight and BMI and changes,"  
 
 
* P11, Line 32: Please revise error "…cause of weight gaining." Also - consider revising 
"uncertain" to "unclear."  
 
 
* P11, Line 34: Please change "difference" to "differences."  
 
 
* P12, Lines 4 -5: Please revise for clarity.  
 
 
* Please discuss whether the changes in outcomes are clinically meaningful.  
 
 
* P13, Line 47: Why is the data not shown?  It would be relevant to the present investigation and 
should be shown here.  
 
 
* Could the authors discuss the importance of their findings in relation to comoribidites, etc?  
For example, chemotherapy -related amenorrhea and weight gain - what are the implications?  
Why is this important?  
Conclusions:  
 
 
* Some revising is needed to im prove clarity, but overall, the conclusion section is succinct.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments t o 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 manus cript:  
 
Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited  
 
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, fu nding, 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 al l 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 I have no competing interests.  
  
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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 availa ble under a n 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