Oncol Rep 37: [Related article:] 313–322, 2017; DOI:
10.3892/or.2016.5286
Following the publication of the above paper, it was
drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that Fig. 6A
on p. 320, showing the tumor volumes from the in vivo
experiments, was lacking the units in the y-axis, hence undermining
the ability to usefully interpret the data in this figure part. In
addition, after having performed an independent assessment of the
data in this paper in the Editorial Office, it came to light that
western blot data in Fig. 2D and flow cytometric plots in Fig. 3A
appeared subsequently in different papers in different experimental
contexts, one written by different authors in 2018 in the journal
Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research, and
the other featuring an author named Cong Long in the journal
Oncology Letters.
The authors have been contacted by the Editorial
Office to offer an explanation for the concerns that have been
identified in their paper, and we are awaiting their response.
Owing to the fact that the Editorial Office has been made aware of
potential issues surrounding the scientific integrity of this
paper, we are issuing an Expression of Concern to notify readers of
these potential problems while the Editorial Office continues to
investigate this matter further.
