PONE-D-20-01711

The role of E-cadherin expression in the treatment of western undifferentiated early gastric cancer: can a biological factor predict lymph node metastasis?

PLOS ONE

Dear Dr Piccolo,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands.

The association between low E-cad expression and lymph nodes metastasis is not new but of interest and study to confirmed this point is of interest. However, authors must refer to prevalence and not to incidence of nodal involvement. Moreover, a correlation of macroscopic aspect of early gastric cancer with E-cad expression could improve the study.

Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

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Valli De Re, Ph.D.

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Reviewer #1: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: I Don't Know

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Reviewer #1: Yes

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Reviewer #1: No

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Reviewer #1: This is an interesting paper on an important topic. How to help to predict the presence of lymph node involvement in early gastric cancer. however authors must refer to prevalence and not to incidence of nodal involvment . Another interesting data is to correlate macroscopic aspect of early gastric cancer and E-cad. Paper must be revisad by native english

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Reviewer #1: No

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The role of E-cadherin expression in the treatment of western undifferentiated early gastric cancer: can a biological factor predict lymph node metastasis?

PONE-D-20-01711R1

Dear Dr. Piccolo,

We are pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it complies with all outstanding technical requirements.

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With kind regards,

Valli De Re, Ph.D.

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Reviewers' comments:

authors make changes according to the request.