Identification of an Objective Cut-Off Point to Define the Clinical Stage T4a in Colon Cancer

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript by Bautista-Saiz et al. represents an experimental study, which is focused on the identification of an objective cut-off point for the definition of the clinical stage T4a in colon cancer. In this study the authors demonstrated that patients, in which the neoplastic cells were less than 1 mm from the serous surface and this surface showed peritoneal reaction, demonstrate significantly lower survival in comparison to the patients at more than 1 mm and without peritoneal response. Although the study is descriptive, it has some value and can be published. Nonetheless, I have a number of minor concerns, which should be corrected:  

- Describing the prevalence, the authors refer to the studies from 2008, or 2007. In my opinion, it would be nice to update this information citing more recent studies.

- The Introduction contains several paragraphs including important statements without any references.  

- Ethical statements are missed.

- Descriptions for the samples preparation procedures are missed.

- Discussion contains a number of statements, while the references, which are supporting these statements, are missed.  

English needs improvements

Author Response

1) Describing the prevalence, the authors refer to the studies from 2008, or 2007. In my opinion, it would be nice to update this information citing more recent studies.

Re= Done. 

2) The Introduction contains several paragraphs including important statements without any references.  

Re= we fixed the problem.

3) Ethical statements are missed.

Re= we fixed this information.

4) Descriptions for the samples preparation procedures are missed.

They are the usal process which is reduncdant here.

5)  Discussion contains a number of statements, while the references, which are supporting these statements, are missed.  

Re=we amend this.

Reviewer 2 Report

This paper describes a 1 mm cut-off point to distinguish between a pathological stage pT3 and pT4a in colon cancer. The information is relevant and may add further information about the diagnosis of colon cancer. 

Author Response

We thank the reviewer for their valuable contribution.

Reviewer 3 Report

The study is well performed and presented. As medicinal chemist I only hope, that this strategy could be useded soon also for the development of new drug candidates.

Author Response

Thank you to the reviewer for their comments