Review Reports - The Potential of Integrative Cancer Treatment Using Melatonin and the Challenge of Heterogeneity in Population-Based Studies: A Case Report of Colon Cancer and a Literature Review

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

General comment

This is a single clinical case. This can not be extrapolated to a population. The authors are encouraged to present similar cases regarding the use of melatonin and the progression of cancer.

Materials and methods

The obtention of information requires an informant's consent. The authors need to present a code of protocol acceptance by an ethical committee. The authors present this code (NIHD REC, Confirmation No. 3/2024 dated January 23, 2024). However, the duration of the study is almost 80 months.

When was obtained the information regarding the use of melatonin?

Why did the patient use melatonin? Who did prescribe melatonin?

Results and discussion

Two biomarkers of cancer are shown. Do the authors have more evidence of the progression of cancer when this patient used melatonin? More evidence of the possible role of melatonin as an anticancer agent is necessary.

More toxicological information is necessary to evaluate the safe use of melatonin.

The literature review is extensive, this is a clinical case, not a review manuscript.

The conclusion section needs to be rewritten, this section seems part of the discussion.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

There are many typographic and grammatical mistakes in this manuscript. The authors need to present a certificate of language editing of grammar and spelling.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Manuscript curroncol-2870532

„The Potential of Integrative Cancer Treatment Using Melatonin and the Challenge of Heterogeneity in Population-based Studies: A Case Report of Colon Cancer and A Literature Review” for Current Oncology

Comments:

The work addresses an interesting aspect related to the treatment of colorectal cancer. However, I have two important comments that I would like the authors to take it into account.

First, please systematize the descriptions done in your work. Unfortunately, in the abundance of some information, the essence of the work, given in the title, is completely lost, namely the importance of melatonin. Please arrange the descriptions appropriately to highlight the role of this hormone, get rid of unnecessary additives that do not bring anything new to the work or clearly combine them with melatonin, e.g. 3.8.1 - 3.8.4.

Secondly, the descriptions should be supplemented with the role of melatonin agonists and antagonists. Both natural and artificially administered to cancer patients.

In addition, please complete the description with the role of cortisol and its importance during the possible administration of melatonin to oncological patients.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors In the manuscript "The Potential of Integrative Cancer Treatment Using Melatonin and the Challenge of Heterogeneity in Population-based Studies: A Case Report of Colon Cancer and A Literature Review" the authors are describing the effects of Melatonin of colon cancer. Overall the paper is well written and important information are reported, however some issues need to be addressed. First the title should be change. This part " A Case Report of Colon Cancer and A Literature Review" should be deleted. If the authors need to mention the type of cancer they can do it in the first part of the title. And the for every paper, it is expected to compare the results with previously reported studies, so is not necessary to mention the literature review. The legend of figure 5 is too long. Some parts can be moved in the paper body. Also, the conclusions are too long. Similar, same parts can be moved to discussions section.