PTENES

Medical oncologist

Gastrointestinal cancers, treated with precision and with time to talk.

Colon and rectum, pancreas, stomach, esophagus, liver and bile ducts. Every decision is explained clearly, grounded in current science and made together with you.

Read the articles

CRM-SP 220000 · CRM-MG 86471 · RQE 71154

Dr. Maria Fernanda TeixeiraMedical Oncology

About

My parents are doctors, as is much of my family. Whenever I was asked what I would be if I could be anything in the world, the answer was always the same: a doctor.

I learned early on to hold myself to a rigorous work ethic, which has guided me throughout my life. My great-grandfather was a public health physician devoted to bringing care to people without access in Brazil, and his example gave me a lasting sense of social responsibility.

I studied at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, one of the best public universities in Brazil. I then trained in internal medicine at Santa Casa de São Paulo, which has one of the highest patient volumes in Latin America. There, I learned internal medicine in practice, at the bedside. I came to understand that we all carry pain and fear, no matter where we come from. I held the hands of patients and their families whenever they needed it. I delivered more sad news than I can count, and just as much good news. And I learned a valuable lesson: to be present, whatever the circumstances.

Why oncology?

This is the first question I get when I tell people what I do. It’s natural. When I explain, I start with the rational reasons: the range of settings, my love for the subject, innovation…

On the personal side, an anecdotal example: a much-loved grandfather diagnosed with lung cancer. Like many families, I wished we had done more and better, but I also had my first oncology lesson: the inevitability of finitude.

But I dare say it is actually another part of the profession that moves me. Deep down, every oncologist is an optimist or, at least, a hopeful realist, to paraphrase the Brazilian writer Ariano Suassuna. Today I see a profession that has taught me more about winning than about losing.

Having cancer does not have to be a burden. We can face it together.

Throughout my training, I was lucky. At Einstein, I took my first steps in my career alongside kind and brilliant people. I had great supervisors who became mentors, and great mentors who became friends. All of them essential to the oncologist I am.

Today, I focus on gastrointestinal cancers and tumor-agnostic therapies, which treat cancer according to the tumor’s genetic alteration rather than the organ where it began. In my research, I work on access to innovation, cancer prevention and the rational use of therapies.

My goal is for every patient to have access to the most current cancer treatment, wherever they are, always with empathetic, comprehensive care. I will be by your side at every step.

I see patients in Portuguese, English and Spanish.

Education

  1. 2015–2021Federal University of Minas GeraisDoctor of Medicine
  2. 2021–2023Santa Casa de São PauloInternal Medicine residency · chief resident
  3. 2023–2026Hospital Israelita Albert EinsteinMedical Oncology residency

International experience

  1. 2024University of PisaGastrointestinal Oncology observership · Italy
  2. 2025AIOM and ASCO Clinical Research CourseRome, Italy
  3. 2025City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer CenterMedical Oncology observership, gastrointestinal cancers · California, USA

Areas of practice

Gastrointestinal cancers

Colon and rectum

Colorectal cancer, from diagnosis to follow-up after treatment.

Pancreas

Treatment at every stage, including the newest therapies targeting RAS alterations.

Stomach and esophagus

Treatment planning before and after surgery, with chemotherapy and immunotherapy when indicated.

Bile ducts

Cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer, with genomic testing of the tumor to guide options.

Liver

Hepatocellular carcinoma, decided jointly with surgery, hepatology and interventional radiology.

Precision oncology

Liquid biopsy and genomic sequencing to match treatment to the tumor’s profile.

The consultation

How it works

  1. First contact

    You speak directly with the team to ask practical questions about the visit.

  2. Before the visit

    Gather your test results, biopsy reports, medical summaries and a list of current medications. If possible, bring the scan images too, not only the reports.

  3. An unhurried consultation

    We review your full history and every test. A family member or trusted person is welcome. No question goes unanswered.

  4. A clear plan, in writing

    You leave knowing the diagnosis, the treatment options, what to expect from each and the next steps, all written down.

  5. Close follow-up

    During treatment, you have a direct line to me for questions and concerns.

Second opinion

Before you start, or along the way

An independent review of your diagnosis, tests and treatment plan. It is your right, and good doctors welcome it. It can be done at the start, when there is more than one path, or when the current treatment has stopped working.

How to prepare

For patients and families

Articles

What has changed in treatment, explained without jargon. Reviewed against the latest publications.

Pancreas · November 2026

The first drug to block RAS in pancreatic cancer

Approved in the US in 2026, daraxonrasib nearly doubled survival compared with chemotherapy in previously treated patients. What it means in practice.

Read Precision oncology · November 2026

Liquid biopsy: what a blood test reveals about a tumor

How fragments of tumor DNA in the blood help choose treatment and decide who really needs chemotherapy.

Read Stomach · November 2026

Immunotherapy before and after surgery for stomach cancer

Adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy around surgery lowered the risk of the cancer coming back. Who it is for and what to expect.

Read Practical guide · November 2026

A second opinion in oncology: when it makes sense and how to prepare

Which documents to bring, what to ask and how to talk about it with your current doctor.

Read

Research

Scientific publications

23 publications · 96 citations · h-index 5 Web of Science, November 2026

LattesGoogle ScholarORCIDWeb of Science
  1. 2026

    Landscape of clinical trials and impact of precision medicine in biliary tract cancers in the last 45 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis of biomarker-driven trials

    Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology. DOI 10.21037/tgh-2026-0015

  2. 2026

    Very high vs. high tumor mutational burden across tumors: real-world associations with MSI, pathway features, and immunotherapy outcomes

    Biomedicines. DOI 10.3390/biomedicines14030593

  3. 2026

    Efficacy and safety signals from early-phase studies of KRAS inhibition in pancreatic cancer First author

    Teixeira MF, et al. Scientific Reports. DOI 10.1038/s41598-026-40757-3

  4. 2026

    Utility of circulating tumor DNA-based liquid biopsies in patients with cancer receiving immunotherapy First author

    Teixeira MF, Fahmy N, Kasi PM. Surgical Oncology Clinics.

  5. 2026

    Clinico-genomic characterization of TP53/CDKN2A co-alteration and its prognostic value in biliary tract cancer

    Pirozzi A, Shibuki T, Teixeira MF, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology. DOI 10.1200/JCO.2026.44.2_suppl.593

  6. 2026

    Prognostic role of PIK3CA and co-alterations in advanced biliary tract cancer: a multicenter retrospective analysis

    Abidoye O, Kosiorek HE, Shibuki T, … Teixeira MF, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology. DOI 10.1200/JCO.2026.44.2_suppl.599

  7. 2026

    Olaparib response in a patient with platinum-refractory germ cell tumor harboring a somatic BRIP1 mutation

    Gismondi CBL, Agarwal R, Teixeira MF, Chehrazi-Raffle A. JCO Precision Oncology. DOI 10.1200/PO-25-00768

  8. 2025

    Access barriers to pembrolizumab in Brazil

    Uson Junior PLS, Rocioli Jr UD, Teixeira MF, et al. JAMA Network Open, 8(8):e2528585. DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.28585

  9. 2025

    Circulating tumor DNA in biliary tract cancers: a review of current applications First author

    Teixeira MF, Borad M, Uson Junior PLS. World Journal of Clinical Oncology. DOI 10.5306/wjco.v16.i10.107875

  10. 2025

    Perioperative immunotherapy in gastric cancer in the spotlight

    Pernomian LS, Teixeira MF, Araujo RLC, Uson Junior PLS. World Journal of Clinical Oncology. DOI 10.5306/wjco.v16.i12.110988

  11. 2025

    Tumor-agnostic therapies in a high-volume Brazilian center: real-world challenges and opportunities First author

    Teixeira MF, Lara Gismondi CBB, Zugman M, … Kaliks RA, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 43(16_suppl):e23304. DOI 10.1200/JCO.2025.43.16_suppl.e23304

  12. 2025

    Impact of chemoimmunotherapy vs chemotherapy alone in patients with HRD-positive and HRD-negative biliary tract cancers: a multicenter retrospective survival analysis

    Abidoye O, Shibuki T, Pirozzi A, … Teixeira MF, et al. Annals of Oncology, 36:S130. DOI 10.1016/j.annonc.2025.05.347

  13. 2025

    Time toxicity associated with first-line treatment in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer

    Okano N, Pirozzi A, O’Donnell C, … Teixeira MF, et al. Annals of Oncology, 36:S128. DOI 10.1016/j.annonc.2025.05.343

  14. 2025

    Impact of homologous recombination deficiency on response to chemoimmunotherapy in biliary tract cancer

    Oluseyi A, Kosiorek H, Shibuki T, … Teixeira MF, et al. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, 13(Suppl 2):A501.

  15. 2024

    Molecular profile and actionability of sarcomas with next-generation sequencing: insights from a single institution in Brazil

    Zugman M, Fernandes M, de Lima L, Teixeira MF, et al. ESMO Open, 9:133P.

Earlier publications, before oncology (7)
  1. 2021

    Engagement with an asthma app to monitor medication adherence and its association with patients’ characteristics First author

    Teixeira MF, et al. European Respiratory Journal. DOI 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.OA3947

  2. 2021

    Phenotypes of persistent asthma in adolescents revealed different patterns in longitudinal asthma-related outcomes First author

    Teixeira MF, et al. European Respiratory Journal. DOI 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.OA2566

  3. 2021

    Determinants of the use of health and fitness mobile apps by patients with asthma: secondary analysis of observational studies

    Neves AL, et al. Journal of Medical Internet Research. DOI 10.2196/25472

  4. 2021

    Monitoring adherence to asthma inhalers using the InspirerMundi app: analysis of real-world, medium-term feasibility studies

    Jácome C, et al. Frontiers in Medical Technology. DOI 10.3389/fmedt.2021.649506

  5. 2021

    Feasibility and acceptability of an asthma app to monitor medication adherence: mixed methods study

    Jácome C, et al. JMIR mHealth and uHealth. DOI 10.2196/26442

  6. 2020

    Healing by second intention as a therapeutic alternative for serious blebitis

    Barbosa JC, Silva SAR, Kanadani FN, … Teixeira MF, et al.

  7. 2019

    Quality of life in systemic lupus women with cutaneous damage on the face: cosmetic camouflage impact

    Lanna CC, Oliveira FAP, … Teixeira MF, et al. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 78:1698.

Contact

Where to find me

Follow new articles and treatment updates on my social channels.

Where to find me
Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Medical Oncology team
Av. Albert Einstein, 627 · Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil
Social
Substack · @mariafernandateixeira
X · @mariaf_teix
Languages
Portuguese, English and Spanish
Medical license
CRM-SP 220000 · CRM-MG 86471 · RQE 71154 (Medical Oncology)