Sprague's study, “Association Between False-Positive Results and Return to Screening Mammography in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium Cohort,” published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that false-positive mammogram results are discouraging many women from returning for important follow-up screenings. Researchers say the additional imaging or biopsies performed after a suspicious finding often cause significant anxiety.

(SEPTEMBER 3, 2024) HealthDay featured a study by Brian Sprague, Ph.D., professor of surgery, et al. investigating the effect of false-positive mammogram results on women’s willingness to return for future screening.

In a new publication in the Journal of Cachexia and Sarcopenia of Muscle, post-doc Deena Snoke, Ph.D., shares her research findings that lung cancer patients experience a 20 percent reduction in muscle fiber size after two months of conventional treatment despite no measurable changes in muscle at the whole-body or whole-tissue level.

(AUGUST 6, 2024) Researchers led by Brian Sprague, Ph.D., professor of surgery, biochemistry, and radiology, found that ultrasound detects more cancers in high-risk women with dense breasts, according to AuntMinnie.com.

Chris Holmes, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed Medical Director for Cancer Clinical Programs. Dr. Holmes, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, is currently Deputy Division Chief for Hematology/Oncology at the University of Vermont Cancer Center.

This past summer, 20 students were awarded a $4,000 stipend to deepen their engagement, hone their skills, and drive towards new discoveries under the guidance of a UVM Cancer Center member. Among the group, two scholars—Greta Joos and Maggie Trout—were selected to receive the prestigious Juckett Summer Fellowship, which is awarded to the highest scoring applicants in part for their impactful cancer research and apparent student outcomes.

Nataniel H. Lester-Coll, M.D., was appointed Division Chief of Radiation Oncology at University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at UVM Health Network, effective July 15.