History
Highlights - May / June
- Article
Original Article 500
Longitudinal analysis of factors influencing return to work after breast cancer treatment among public employees in São Paulo
Marcelo Antonini; corresponding Author
The return to work is a complex and multifactorial issue, as it involves situations related to the patient, the disease, and the work environment. Few national studies have published experiences related to this matter. These studies were generally conducted in Public Hospitals with a population linked to the SUS (Unified Health System).
Fortunately, we are entering our 36th year of the journal. Likewise, we have reached 500 original articles with this article.
This article is a gift to our readers, given its national and global uniqueness. It highlights the factors associated with the return to work in women with breast cancer who work for the State Government of São Paulo. These patients are civil servants with stable jobs, a fact that leads to a high rate of return, as well as presenting facilitators for their return and, eventually, a change of role.
Of the 300 women evaluated, the return to work improved their quality of life, a fact that reinforces the need for the reintegration of these patients after breast cancer.
The main author is Marcelo Antonini, Mastologist, MD, PhD. He works at “Hospital do Servidor Publico Estadual do Estado de São Paulo”, a place that provided the patients for the study. He has 73 publications, having a H-factor 10 at Google Scholar and H7 at Web-of-Science. Now he is a Mastology Co-editor.
Congratulations to the authors. This article is a gift (https://mastology.org/journal/article/view/1918) to our readers.
To the readers, when discussing the topic of return to work, this should be a reference article.
René Aloisio da Costa Vieira
Editor-in-Chief Mastology
- Reviewer
Best “Mastology” reviewer: 2023-2025 triennium.
We are initiating a series dedicated to highlighting outstanding researchers and contributors to journal Mastology. In this context, we sought to identify the best peer reviewer of the past triennium. The evaluation was based on reviewer acceptance rate, number of completed reviews, and turnaround time.
Among all reviewers, mastologist André Mattar distinguished himself through his exceptional commitment and performance. It is therefore with great recognition that we present him as the Best Reviewer of the Triennium in this edition of Highlights.
René Aloisio da Costa Vieira
Editor-in-Chief Mastology
André Mattar
I first met André Mattar at the beginning of my career as a Professor in the Mastology Discipline at UNIFESP, where I was responsible for the resident physicians in the Department of Gynecology. During the annual evaluation exam preparation, I noticed that André consistently achieved the highest scores. As a result, the residents who demonstrated the greatest academic potential and interest in advancing their research skills were invited to join the postgraduate program in different areas of Gynecology. I proposed that André enter the Postgraduate Program in Mastology, incorporating him into my research group.
I held the position of Director of Pérola Byington Hospital, which I held for 17 years observing André’s progress. Thus, he quickly defended his doctoral thesis, published it with distinction in an internationally recognized journal. He actively participated, together with our colleague Jorge Shida, in the implementation of CARE (Center for Resolutive Care in Mastology), aiming to ensure access, comprehensiveness, and equity for patients within the Brazilian Public Health System.
He subsequently assumed leadership roles in the Diagnostic Sectors (non-palpable lesion diagnosis) and in the implementation of stereotactic mammotomy, while also structuring the Clinical Oncology Sector through international research protocols. He contributed significantly to the training of more than 100 Mastologists currently practicing throughout Brazil. Now he is the Head of Mastology Division – Hospital da Mulher (past Pérola Byington Hospital).
Recent international publications involving data from the Women’s Health Reference Center have highlighted the outstanding results achieved through collaborative work with fellow Mastologists.
His remarkable participation in the São Paulo and Brazilian Societies of Mastology, along with his performance in the Brazilian Journal of Mastology, reflects his moral integrity, responsibility, and unwavering commitment to improving humanized care, teaching, and research in Brazilian Mastology.”
Luiz Henrique Gebrim
Universidade Federal de São Paulo
Former Director or Pérola Byington Hospital
- International Editorial Board
Maria João Cardoso, MD, PhD
Breast Surgeon
Breast Cancer Research Program Director
Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon Portugal
Lisbon University Faculty of Medicine
ESO and ESMO Faculty member
MAMA HELP PRESIDENT (support association for Breast Cancer Patients)
H-index 53
My professional journey has always been guided by a simple but powerful question: how can we improve not only survival, but also the lives of women diagnosed with breast cancer?
As a breast surgeon at the Champalimaud Foundation and an academic at the University of Lisbon, I have dedicated my career to integrating science, innovation, and compassion into breast cancer care. Working closely with patients every day continually reminds me that successful treatment extends beyond oncological outcomes. It includes physical wellbeing, emotional recovery, body image, and helping women regain confidence and quality of life after treatment.
My research has therefore focused on understanding outcomes that matter most to patients and on developing tools that support more personalized and informed care. Earlier in my career, this included work on objective evaluation of aesthetic outcomes after breast cancer treatment, leading to the development of the BCCT.core software, that allows the objective measurement of the aesthetic outcomes of breast cancer locoregional treatment.
More recently, my focus has shifted toward patient-centered innovation and the use of technology to empower women in their treatment journey.
One of the most inspiring initiatives I have had the privilege to lead is CINDERELLA a Horizon Europe collaborative project developed to improve communication and shared decision-making in breast cancer care. Through digital tools, artificial intelligence, and personalized educational resources, CINDERELLA seeks to help women better understand their treatment options, set realistic expectations, and actively participate in decisions about their care.
I strongly believe that the future of breast cancer treatment lies not only in medical advances, but also in listening to patients, understanding their priorities, and ensuring that innovation translates into better, more meaningful lives for every woman we care for.
Lisbon, 25 June 2026
