Author's response to reviews Title: Low Annexin A1 expression is predictive for a benefit from induction chemotherapy in oral cancer patients with moderately/poorly pathologic differentiation grade Authors:

Background: i) Rationale for study of Annexin A1 expression should be included. Answer: We have added a sentence of “Annexin A1 expression might correlate with poor pathologic response to induction chemotherapy” in the background. Methods: ii) “Annexin A1 index was....” Please mention whether the index was a continuous scale or categorical, and what the cutoff value was. Answer: The Annexin A1 expression index has been added. It is also mentioned in the main text as a categorical value based on the proportion of stained cells on a scale of negative to strong as follows: negative, absence of stained cells; weak positive, <50% of stained cells; and strong positive, ≥50% of stained cells. Low Annexin A1 expression was defined as negative and weak positive Annexin A1 expression, high Annexin A1 expression was defined as strong positive Annexin A1 expression. Results iii) “A low Annexin A1 expression predicted a better survival, especially disease-free survival (p=0.036) and locoregional recurrence-free survival (p=0.031) compared to high Annexin A1 expression....patients with moderately/poorly pathologic differentiation grade whose tumors had low Annexin A1 expression benefitted from TPF induction chemotherapy on distant metastasis-free survival (p=0.048) and overall survival (p=0.078).” Apart from the p-values, either the median survival results or the hazard ratios should also be included, so the degree of benefit can be reflected. Answer: The hazard ratios have been added according to the reviewer’s suggestion. iv) “patients with moderately/poorly pathologic differentiation grade” Please change to “patients with moderate/poorly differentiated tumors” Answer: This sentence has been revised according to the reviewer’s suggestion. Conclusions: v)“OSCC patients with moderately/ poorly pathologic differentiation grade...” Please change to “Patients with moderate/poorly differentiated OSCC” Answer: The sentence has been revised according to the reviewer’s suggestion.