Call for papers - Breast reconstruction and women's well-being after mastectomy

Guest Editors

Kathryn V Isaac, MD, FRCSC, University of British Columbia, Canada
Mary Elizabeth Lester, MD, FACS, Indiana University, USA
Joshua Vorstenbosch, MD, PhD, FRCSC, McGill University, Canada

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 30 May 2025

BMC Women’s Health is pleased to welcome submissions to the Collection Breast reconstruction and women's well-being after mastectomy. This Collection seeks to gather research that delves into the multifaceted impact of breast reconstruction post mastectomy on women's well-being. We invite submissions that explore the psychosocial implications, patient-centered approaches, and advancements in breast reconstruction techniques and complication prevention, aiming to enhance the understanding of this critical aspect of breast cancer survivorship.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing, and SDG 5: Gender Equality.

Submit to Collection

Meet the Guest Editors

Back to top

Kathryn V Isaac, MD, FRCSC, University of British Columbia, Canada

Dr Kathryn Isaac completed her medical training at the University of Toronto and pursued a craniofacial fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. She further specialized in breast reconstruction in Winnipeg and earned a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard. In September 2018, Dr Isaac moved to Vancouver and has provided her skills for VCH and PHC ever since. As the Patricia Clugston Chair of Breast Reconstruction, Dr Isaac leads clinical research in breast cancer care, focusing on process optimization, outcomes research, and patient-centered development.

Mary Elizabeth Lester, MD, FACS, Indiana University, USA

Dr Lester joined the Division of Plastic Surgery in 2010 and specializes in breast reconstruction and microsurgery. Since that time, she has served in several leadership positions within the hospital administration. Teaching remains one of Dr Lester's passions and she works closely with the Plastic Surgery Residency as associate program director. She also leads a microsurgery teaching laboratory and is committed to its continued success. Dr Lester hopes that educating residents will increase the number of plastic surgeons who can offer DIEP flap surgery, and therefore increase availability of this unique surgery for patients.

Joshua Vorstenbosch, MD, PhD, FRCSC, McGill University, Canada

Dr Joshua Vorstenbosch is an attending plastic surgeon at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His clinical practice focuses on complex oncologic reconstructive surgery, primarily following breast cancer. He offers a full breadth of reconstructive options ranging from using a patient’s own tissue to using implants. Dr Vorstenbosch also leads the surgical lymphedema program at the MUHC, providing cutting-edge surgical treatment to patients affected by lymphedema. In his laboratory, Dr Vorstenbosch studies tissue reactions at the interface of breast implants and patient tissue in an attempt to improve reconstructive outcomes for breast cancer patients.

About the Collection

BMC Women’s Health is pleased to welcome submissions to the Collection Breast reconstruction and women's well-being after mastectomy.

Breast reconstruction helps restore breasts post mastectomy or lumpectomy. Approaches include saline or silicone implants or reconstruction using body tissues. This process involves surgical procedures to rebuild the shape and appearance of the breast, and helps to restore patient's satisfaction with their body image, allowing them to rebuild self-esteem in intimacy and sexuality and overall quality of life. Understanding the impact of breast reconstruction on women's well-being requires a comprehensive exploration of the physical, emotional, and social aspects of this experience.

Advancing our collective understanding in this area is essential to optimize the outcomes of breast cancer survivors. Recent research has highlighted the importance of patient-centered approaches to breast reconstruction, emphasizing the need for shared decision-making, access to information, and psychosocial support. Moreover, advances in surgical techniques and the use of innovative technologies have expanded the options available for breast reconstruction, offering women greater opportunities for personalized and satisfactory outcomes.

Topics welcome to the Collection include, but are not limited to, the following:

Psychosocial impact of breast reconstruction
Patient-centered approaches to breast reconstruction
Innovations in breast reconstruction techniques
Access to breast reconstruction services
Personalized care
Use of big data and artificial intelligence

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing, and SDG 5: Gender Equality.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

Back to top

This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Breast reconstruction and women's well-being post-mastectomy" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.