Brian L. Sprague
Green & Gold Professor, Surgical Research
Professor, Radiology and Biochemistry
Co-Leader, Population Sciences and Cancer Outcomes
Director, Health Promotion Research
PRONOUNS He/Him
- Ph.D., Population Health Sciences/Epidemiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
- M.S., University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
- B.S., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
- Fellowship, Population Health Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Department of Surgery
Department of Radiology
Department of Biochemistry
Department of Health Promotion Research
UVM Cancer Center
Areas of expertise
epidemiology, breast cancer, cancer screening, risk prediction.
BIO
Brian Sprague is a cancer epidemiologist and the Green and Gold Professor of Surgical Research in the Department of Surgery at the University of Vermont. He directs the Vermont Breast Cancer Surveillance System, which collects integrated patient, radiology, pathology, and outcomes data associated with breast imaging at radiology facilities in Vermont and is a member registry within the national Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC). Brian's research focuses on generating evidence to inform risk-based breast cancer screening strategies, through the development of risk prediction models for screening outcomes and the evaluation of breast imaging screening modality performance according to patient risk characteristics. These efforts seek to support the development of personalized screening strategies that maximize benefits while limiting the harms associated with false positive exams and overdiagnosis.
Publications
Awards and Achievements
- University Scholars Award (2025)
- Green & Gold Professorship in Surgical Research
- Excellence in Research Award, Department of Radiology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine (2018)
- Deans Excellence in Research Award for Mid-Career Investigator, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine (2018)
- Excellence in Research Award for Mid-Career Investigator, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine (2018)
- James E. Demeules Research Award for Dedication and Commitment to Excellence in Research, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont (2015)
- Gold-Merit Award for Poster Presentation (Coauthor), Annual Meeting of the American College of Radiology (2015)
- James E. Demeules Research Award for Dedication and Commitment to Excellence in Research, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont (2013)
Bio
Brian Sprague is a cancer epidemiologist and the Green and Gold Professor of Surgical Research in the Department of Surgery at the University of Vermont. He directs the Vermont Breast Cancer Surveillance System, which collects integrated patient, radiology, pathology, and outcomes data associated with breast imaging at radiology facilities in Vermont and is a member registry within the national Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC). Brian's research focuses on generating evidence to inform risk-based breast cancer screening strategies, through the development of risk prediction models for screening outcomes and the evaluation of breast imaging screening modality performance according to patient risk characteristics. These efforts seek to support the development of personalized screening strategies that maximize benefits while limiting the harms associated with false positive exams and overdiagnosis.
Publications
Awards and Achievements
- University Scholars Award (2025)
- Green & Gold Professorship in Surgical Research
- Excellence in Research Award, Department of Radiology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine (2018)
- Deans Excellence in Research Award for Mid-Career Investigator, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine (2018)
- Excellence in Research Award for Mid-Career Investigator, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine (2018)
- James E. Demeules Research Award for Dedication and Commitment to Excellence in Research, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont (2015)
- Gold-Merit Award for Poster Presentation (Coauthor), Annual Meeting of the American College of Radiology (2015)
- James E. Demeules Research Award for Dedication and Commitment to Excellence in Research, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont (2013)
Select Publications
- Sprague BL, Gard CC, Chen S, Tice JA, Tosteson ANA, Perry H, Lee CI, Miglioretti DL, Kerlikowske K. Advanced versus invasive breast cancer risk in a screening population: implications for risk-based prevention and screening strategies. Journal of General Internal Medicine 2026 Feb 18. doi: 10.1007/s11606-026-10237-5. Online ahead of print. PMC13081705.
- Foster VM, Trentham-Dietz A, Stout NK, Lee CI, Ichikawa LE, Eavey J, Henderson L, Miglioretti DL, Tosteson ANA, Bowles EA, Kerlikowske K, Sprague BL. Supplemental breast cancer screening after negative mammography in US women with dense breasts. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 117(6):1271-1275, 2025. PMC12145904.
- Sprague BL, Ichikawa L, Eavey J, Lowry KP, Rauscher GH, O’Meara ES, Miglioretti DL, Lee JM, Stout NK, Herschorn SD, Perry H, Weaver DL, Kerlikowske K. Performance of Supplemental US Screening in Women with Dense Breasts and Varying Breast Cancer Risk: Results from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Radiology 312(2):e232380, 2024. PMC11366666.
- Sprague BL, Coley RY, Lowry KP, Kerlikowske K, Henderson LM, Su YR, Lee CI, Onega T, Bowles EJA, Herschorn SD, diFlorio-Alexander RM, Miglioretti DL. Digital breast tomosynthesis versus digital mammography screening performance on successive screening rounds from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Radiology 307(5):e223142, 2023. PMC10315524.
- Kerlikowske K, Su Y-R, Sprague BL, Tosteson ANA, Buist DSM, Onega T, Henderson LM, Alsheik N, Bissell MCS, O’Meara ES, Lee CI, Miglioretti DL. Association of screening with digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography with risk of interval invasive and advanced breast cancer. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) 327(22):2220-2230, 2022. PMC9198754.