Laura E. Ichikawa, MS

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

Biostatistics

Longitudinal data analysis
Cancer

Biostatistics; breast cancer
Women's Health

Biostatistics; hormonal contraception and bone density

Recent publications

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

Lee AY, Ichikawa L, Lee JM, Lee CI, DeMartini WB, Joe BN, Wernli KJ, Sprague BL, Herschorn SD, Lehman CD. Concordance of BI-RADS assessments and management recommendations for breast MRI in community practice. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2016;206(1):211-6. doi: 10.2214/AJR.15.14356. PubMed

Sherman ME, Ichikawa L, Pfeiffer RM, Miglioretti DL, Kerlikowske K, Tice J, Vacek PM, Gierach GL. Relationship of predicted risk of developing invasive breast cancer, as assessed with three models, and breast cancer mortality among breast cancer patients. PLoS One. 2016 Aug 25;11(8):e0160966. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160966. eCollection 2016. PubMed

Miglioretti DL, Ichikawa L, Smith RA, Bassett LW, Feig SA, Monsees B, Parikh JR, Rosenberg RD, Sickles EA, Carney PA. Criteria for identifying radiologists with acceptable screening mammography interpretive performance on basis of multiple performance measures. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2015;204(4):W486-91. doi: 10.2214/AJR.13.12313. PubMed

Allison KH, Abraham LA, Weaver DL, Tosteson AN, Nelson HD, Onega T, Geller BM, Kerlikowske K, Carney PA, Ichikawa LE, Buist DS, Elmore JG. Trends in breast biopsy pathology diagnoses among women undergoing mammography in the United States: a report from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Cancer. 2015 Jan 20. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29199. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Allison KH, Abraham LA, Weaver DL, Tosteson AN, Nelson HD, Onega T, Geller BM, Kerlikowske K, Carney PA, Ichikawa LE, Buist DS, Elmore JG. Trends in breast biopsy pathology diagnoses among women undergoing mammography in the United States: a report from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Cancer. 2015 May 1;121(9):1369-78. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29199. Epub 2015 Jan 20. PubMed

Lee CI, Ichikawa L, Rochelle MC, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Sprague BL, DeMartini WB, Wernli KJ, Joe BN, Yankaskas BC, Lehman CD. Breast MRI BI-RADS assessments and abnormal interpretation rates by clinical indication in US community practices. Acad Radiol. 2014 Nov;21(11):1370-6. doi: 10.1016/j.acra.2014.06.003. Epub 2014 Aug 7. PubMed

Spangler L, Ichikawa LE, Hubbard RA, Operskalski B, LaCroix AZ, Ott SM, Scholes D. A comparison of self-reported oral contraceptive use and automated pharmacy data in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women. Ann Epidemiol. 2015 Jan;25(1):55-9. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.10.009. Epub 2014 Oct 16. PubMed

Wernli KJ, DeMartini WB, Ichikawa L, Lehman C, Onega TL, Kerlikowske K, Gellar BM, Hofmann M, Yankaskas BC; for the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Patterns of breast magnetic resonance imaging use in community practice. JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Jan;174(1):125-32. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.11963. Epub 2013 Nov 18. PubMed

Carney PA, Parikh J, Sickles EA, Feig SA, Monsees B, Bassett LW, Smith RA, Rosenberg R, Ichikawa L, Wallace J, Tran K, Miglioretti DL. Diagnostic mammography: identifying minimally acceptable interpretive performance criteria. Radiology. 2013 May;267(2):359-67. doi: 10.1148/radiol.12121216. Epub 2013 Jan 7. PubMed