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
Biostatistician III, 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
Anthony MS, Reed SD, Armstrong MA, Getahun D, Gatz JL, Saltus CW, Zhou X, Schoendorf J, Postlethwaite DA, Raine-Bennett T, Fassett MJ, Peipert JF, Ritchey ME, Ichikawa LE, Lynen R, Alabaster AL, Merchant M, Chiu VY, Shi JM, Xie F, Hui SL, Wang J, Hunter S, Bartsch J, Frenz AK, Chillemi G, Im TM, Takhar HS, Asiimwe A. Design of the association of uterine perforation and expulsion of IUD (APEX-IUD) study: a multisite retrospective cohort study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Jan 15:S0002-9378(21)00026-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.01.003. Online ahead of print. PubMed
D Sullivan M, Boudreau D, Ichikawa L, Cronkite D, Albertson-Junkans L, Salgado G, VonKorff M, Carrell DS. Primary care opioid taper plans are associated with sustained opioid dose reduction. J Gen Intern Med. 2020 Jan 6. pii: 10.1007/s11606-019-05445-1. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05445-1. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Henderson LM, Ichikawa L, Buist DSM, Lee JM, Bush M, Johnson D, Onega T, Nekhlyudov L, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Sprague BL, Wernli KJ. Patterns of breast imaging use among women with a personal history of breast cancer. J Gen Intern Med. 2019 Oct;34(10):2098-2106. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05181-6. PubMed
Anthony MS, Armstrong MA, Getahun D, Scholes D, Gatz J, Schulze-Rath R, Postlethwaite D, Merchant M, Alabaster AL, Chillemi G, Raine-Bennett T, Xie F, Chiu VY, Im TM, Takhar HS, Fassett M, Grafton J, Cronkite D, Ichikawa L, Reed SD, Hui SL, Ritchey ME, Saltus CW, Andrews EB, Rothman KJ, Asiimwe A, Lynen R, Schoendorf J. Identification and validation of uterine perforation, intrauterine device expulsion, and breastfeeding in four health care systems with electronic health records. Clin Epidemiol. 2019 Jul 23;11:635-643. doi: 10.2147/CLEP.S201044. eCollection 2019. PubMed
Wernli KJ, Brandzel SD, Buist DM, Bush M, DeMartini W, Ichikawa L, Haas C, Henderson LM, Johnson D, Kerlikowske K, McColgin D, Miglioretti DL, Nekhlyudov L, Onega T, Rosenberg DE. Is breast MRI better at finding second breast cancers than mammograms alone for breast cancer survivors? Washington (DC): Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute(PCORI); 2019 May. PubMed
Wernli KJ, Ichikawa K, Kerlikowske K, Buist DSM, Brandzel SD, Bush M, Johnson D, Henderson LM, Nekhlyudov L, Onega T, Sprague BL, Lee JM, Lehman C, Miglioretti DL. Surveillance breast MRI and mammography performance measures in women with a personal history of breast cancer. Radiology. 2019 Aug;292(2):311-318. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2019182475. Epub 2019 Jun 4. PubMed
Wernli KJ, Ichikawa L, Kerlikowske K, Buist DSM, Brandzel SD, Bush M, Johnson D, Henderson LM, Nekhlyudov L, Onega T, Sprague BL, Lee JM, Lehman CD, Miglioretti DL. Surveillance breast MRI and mammography: comparison in women with a personal history of breast cancer. Radiology. 2019 Aug;292(2):311-318. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2019182475. Epub 2019 Jun 4. PubMed
Lee JM, Ichikawa L, Valencia E, Miglioretti DL, Wernli K, Buist DSM, Kerlikowske K, Henderson LM, Sprague BL, Onega T, Rauscher GH, Lehman CD. Performance benchmarks for screening breast MR imaging in community practice. Radiology. 2017 Oct;285(1):44-52. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2017162033. PubMed
Miglioretti DL, Ichikawa L, Smith R, Buist DSM, Carney PA, Geller B, Monsees B, Onega T, Rosenberg R, Sickles EA, Yankaskas B, Kerlikowske K. Correlation between screening mammography interpretive performance on a test set and performance in clinical practice. Acad Radiol. 2017 Oct;24(10):1256-1264. doi: 10.1016/j.acra.2017.03.016. Epub 2017 May 24. PubMed
Scholes D, LaCroix AZ, Hubbard RA, Ichikawa LE, Spangler L, Operskalski BH, Gell N, Ott SM. Oral contraceptive use and fracture risk around the menopausal transition. Menopause.2016;23(2):166-74. PMC4731309. PubMed
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.
