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: 17 Apr 2017  
 
Reviewer: Ikechukwu Iloabachie  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This was a good attempt to study the long term effects of chemotherapy following breast cancer 
treatment.  
 
 
 
The study was described as a prospective cross sectional study. However there  was nothing to 
indicate that the participants were followed up or that other data/measurements were made after 
the initial contact with the participants. In the same vein the phrase "at study entry" was used 
often and it created some difficulty with under standing what was actually done. For example 
weight gain was being described at study entry which is confusing as in a prospective study, the 
baseline weight is what would be recorded at entry and then changes noted as time progresses. 
Height and weight we re obtained from records as were stage of the breast cancer and 
chemotherapy regimen.  
 
 
 
The language was easy to understand, however the last paragraph of the abstract needs 
modifying as well as the first sentence of the background section.  
 
 
 
The study outli ned inclusion and exclusion criteria but the results indicate that this was not 
adhered to. For example it was stated that the aim was to assess young pre -menopausal women 
below the age of 45 years, however the study included 137 post menopausal women and 170 
women were above 45 years of age. Likewise Stage III breast cancer seems to have been 
classified as early breast cancer which I do not think is the case. Furthermore this creates some 
problem interpreting the results of the study as it is now not clear  if menopause after 45 years is 
due to chemotherapy or a natural progression.  
 
 
 
The limitation regarding use of one off blood pressure measurements has already been 
mentioned in the study. In the same vein the weight gain was not properly assessed and canno t 
be conclusively be said to be due entirely to the cancer treatment.  
 
There was a lot of inferential statistical analysis done and with that, there would be some 
significant findings which may not be true significances.  
 
 
 
In the conclusion mention was made of educational and economic status which were not 
considered in the study.  
 
 
 
 
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.  
 
No 
 
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:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Declaration of competing interests  
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below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
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