A paper co-authored by Regenstrief Research Scientist Sarah Wiehe, M.D., M.P.H., as a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), is one of 2024’s most viewed papers from the well-respected Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
The article, “Screening for Breast Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement,” was among the top 10 for 2024 and was announced on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.The updated guidelines emphasize the importance of biennial mammography screening for women aged 40 to 74 years to reduce breast cancer-related deaths.
Breast cancer remains the second most common cancer and cause of cancer death among women in the United States. The new recommendations suggest starting regular mammography screenings at age 40 to achieve a moderate net benefit in reducing breast cancer mortality.
Dr. Wiehe was appointed to serve a four-year term on the task force in January of 2024. Task force members are appointed by the secretary of Health and Human Services.
On the task force, Dr. Wiehe works to improve the health of people nationwide by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services. Because the task force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine, they are equipped to suggest services such as screenings, counseling services and preventive medications.
The task force’s updated recommendation is a shift that prioritizes earlier screening, particularly given breast cancer’s continued impact across diverse populations. Non-Hispanic Black women, who experience the highest breast cancer mortality rate, stand to benefit from efforts to improve access to and adherence to recommended screenings.
Sarah Wiehe, M.D., MPH
In addition to her role as a research scientist with the William M. Tierney Center for Health Services Research at Regenstrief Institute, Sarah Wiehe, M.D., MPH, is the co-director of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. She is a professor of pediatrics, associate dean for community and translational research, the Jean and Jerry Bepko Scholar in Pediatrics, and the chief of the Division of Children’s Health Services Research at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Wiehe is also an adjust associate professor at the Indiana Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IU Indianapolis.
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