Laura E. Ichikawa, MS
"KPWHRI provides a great opportunity to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and provide biostatistical support to improve patient health."
Laura E. Ichikawa, MS
Principal Collaborative Biostatistician, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Laura.E.Ichikawa@kp.org
206-612-9561
Biography
With more than 25 years at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI), Laura Ichikawa, MS, is known for her analytical skills, attention to detail regarding study design and data management, and expertise in data visualization. Her experience includes observational studies, randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, and multisite analyses.
Ms. Ichikawa is primarily focused on breast cancer and women’s health. She is involved in two large, multisite National Cancer Institute-funded projects: the Statistical Coordinating Center for the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) and a colorectal research site for Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process (PROSPR). Much of her work with the BCSC has been evaluating mammography performance and use of other imaging modalities such as MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, especially after a breast cancer diagnosis. Ms. Ichikawa also participated in collaborative research through the Cancer Research Network, including a widely publicized 2004 study that linked not having screening mammograms to late-stage breast cancer. More recently, this work examined the association of chemotherapy use with peripheral neuropathy. Ms. Ichikawa is excited to continue her work in breast cancer research, including in screening, treatment, surveillance, and survival.
Ms. Ichikawa's research with retired KPWHRI Senior Investigator Delia Scholes, PhD, includes studies examining bone loss associated with the injectable hormonal contraceptive Depo-Provera in 2002 and 2005 and oral contraceptives in 2011. She continues to work in areas of women’s health and contraceptive methods.
Ms. Ichikawa is a member of the American Statistical Association and its Puget Sound chapter.
Research interests and experience
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Biostatistics
Longitudinal data analysis
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Cancer
Biostatistics; breast cancer
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Women's Health
Biostatistics; hormonal contraception and bone density
Recent publications
Lee JM, Ichikawa LE, Wernli KJ, Bowles EAJ, Specht JM, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Lowry KP, Tosteson ANA, Stout NK, Houssami N, Onega T, Buist DSM. Impact of surveillance mammography intervals less than one year on performance measures in women with a personal history of breast cancer. J Korean Radiol. 2023 Aug;24(8):729-738. doi: 10.3348/kjr.2022.1038. PubMed
Sprague BL, Ichikawa L, Eavey J, Lowry KP, Rauscher G, O'Meara ES, Miglioretti DL, Chen S, Lee JM, Stout NK, Mandelblatt JS, Alsheik N, Herschorn SD, Perry H, Weaver DL, Kerlikowske K. Breast cancer risk characteristics of women undergoing whole-breast ultrasound screening versus mammography alone. Cancer. 2023 Aug 15;129(16):2456-2468. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34768. Epub 2023 Jun 12. PubMed
Lowry KP, Ichikawa L, Hubbard RA, Buist DSM, Bowles EJA, Henderson LM, Kerlikowske K, Specht JM, Sprague BL, Wernli KJ, Lee JM. Variation in second breast cancer risk after primary invasive cancer by time since primary cancer diagnosis and estrogen receptor status. Cancer. 2023 Feb 15. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34679. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Su YR, Buist DS, Lee JM, Ichikawa L, Miglioretti DL, Aiello Bowles EJ, Wernli KJ, Kerlikowske K, Tosteson A, Lowry KP, Henderson LM, Sprague BL, Hubbard RA. Performance of statistical and machine learning risk prediction models for surveillance benefits and failures in breast cancer survivors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2023 Jan 25:EPI-22-0677. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-22-0677. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Anthony MS, Zhou X, Schoendorf J, Reed SD, Getahun D, Armstrong MA, Gatz J, Peipert JF, Raine-Bennett T, Fassett MJ, Saltus CW, Ritchey ME, Ichikawa L, Shi JM, Wahdan Y, Wang J, Xie F, Merchant M, Hunter S, Chiu VY, Rothman KJ, Im TM, Takhar HS, Asiimwe A, Pisa F. Demographic, reproductive and medical risk factors for intrauterine device expulsion: APEX-IUD study. Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Dec 1;140(6):1017-1030. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005000. Epub 2022 Nov 2. PubMed
Pocobelli G, Ichikawa L, Yu O, Green BB, Meyers K, Gray R, Shea M, Chubak J. Validation of international classification of diseases, tenth revision, clinical modification diagnosis codes for heart failure subtypes. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2022 Jun 7. doi: 10.1002/pds.5489. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Reed SD, Zhou X, Ichikawa L, Gatz JL, Peipert JF, Armstrong MA, Raine-Bennett T, Getahun D, Fassett MJ, Postlethwaite DA, Shi JM, Asiimwe A, Pisa F, Schoendorf J, Saltus CW, Anthony MS, On behalf of the APEX-IUD Study Team. Intrauterine device-related uterine perforation incidence and risk (APEX-IUD): a large multisite cohort study. Lancet. 2022 Jun 4;399(10341):2103-2112. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00015-0. PubMed
Gatz JL, Armstrong MA, Postlethwaite D, Raine-Bennett T, Chillemi G, Alabaster A, Merchant M, Reed SD, Ichikawa L, Getahun D, Fassett MJ, Shi JM, Xie F, Chiu VY, Im TM, Takhar HS, Wang J, Saltus CW, Ritchey ME, Asiimwe A, Pisa F, Schoendorf J, Wahdan Y, Zhou X, Hunter S, Anthony MS, Peipert JF. Association between intrauterine device type and risk of perforation and device expulsion: results from the Association of Perforation and Expulsion of Intrauterine Device study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Jul;227(1):57.e1-57.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.062. Epub 2022 Apr 5. PubMed
Getahun D, Fassett MJ, Gatz J, Armstrong MA, Peipert JF, Raine-Bennett T, Reed SD, Zhou X, Schoendorf J, Postlethwaite D, Shi JM, Saltus CW, Wang J, Xie F, Chiu V, Merchant M, Alabaster A, Ichikawa L, Hunger S, Im TM, Takhar HS, Ritchey ME, Chillemi G, Pisa F, Asiimwe A, Anthony MS. Association between menorrhagia and risk of intrauterine device-related uterine perforation and device expulsion: results from the Association of Uterine Perforation and Expulsion of Intrauterine Device study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Jul;227(1):59.e1-59.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.025. Epub 2022 Mar 12. PubMed
Armstrong MA, Raine-Bennett T, Reed SD, Gatz J, Getahun D, Schoendorf J, Postlethwaite D, Fassett MJ, Peipert JF, Saltus CW, Merchant M, Alabaster A, Zhou X, Ichikawa L, Shi JM, Chiu VY, Xie F, Hunter S, Wang J, Ritchey ME, Chillemi G, Im TM, Takhar HS, Pisa F, Asiimwe A, Anthony MS. Association of the timing of postpartum intrauterine device insertion and breastfeeding with risks of intrauterine device expulsion. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(2):e2148474. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.48474. PubMed
Research
IUD perforation: Rare but important to know about
New study results in more precise language in the federally mandated warning about this possibility.
cancer research
Using breast MRI after cancer may lead to unneeded biopsies
A Kaiser Permanente-led BCSC study is among the largest ever to evaluate adding MRI surveillance for breast cancer survivors.
cancer screening
No need to follow up simple ovarian cysts
New KPWHRI study shows that women with simple cysts are not at increased risk of ovarian cancer.
aging & geriatrics
Study finds various treatments can reduce vaginal discomfort from sex
Dr. Katherine Newton co-wrote JAMA Internal Medicine paper comparing vaginal estrogen, moisturizer, and placebo gel.
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