Ellen O’Meara, PhD

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“Our work in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium is to make notable contributions to understanding cancer risk, screening effectiveness, and how to ensure the best outcomes for women with breast cancer.”

Ellen O’Meara, PhD

Principal Collaborative Scientist, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute

Biography

Ellen O’Meara, PhD, came to Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in 2009 with an array of scientific interests. The common thread across her more than two decades of research experience is studying the epidemiology of common diseases in adults, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular disease.

Due to her strong interests in screening for disease and outcomes after diagnosis, Dr. O’Meara co-directs the Kaiser Permanente Washington-led Statistical Coordinating Center for the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium—a national network of breast imaging and breast cancer researchers. One of her goals is to find ways to optimize breast cancer screening—that is, to find the best balance of benefits and harms in subgroups of women based on their risks.

Dr. O’Meara’s other professional activities include memberships in the Society for Epidemiologic Research and the American Society of Preventive Oncology.

Research interests and experience

Recent publications

O'Meara ES, Zhu W, Hubbard RA, Braithwaite D, Kerlikowske K, Dittus KL, Geller B, Wernli KJ, Miglioretti DL. Mammographic screening interval in relation to tumor characteristics and false-positive risk by race/ethnicity and age. Cancer. 2013 Nov 15;119(22):3959-67. doi: 10.1002/cncr.28310. Epub 2013 Aug 26. PubMed

Dittus K, Geller B, Weaver DL, Kerlikowske K, Zhu W, Hubbard R, Braithwaite D, O'Meara ES, Miglioretti DL. Impact of mammography screening interval on breast cancer diagnosis by menopausal status and BMI. J Gen Intern Med. 2013 Nov;28(11):1454-62. doi:10.1007/s11606-013-2507-0. Epub 2013 Jun 13. PubMed

Tice JA, O'Meara ES, Weaver DL, Vachon C, Ballard-Barbash R, Kerlikowske K. Benign breast disease, mammographic breast density, and the risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Jul 17;105(14):1043-1049. Epub 2013 Jun 6. PubMed

Kerlikowske K, Zhu WW, Hubbard R, Gellar B, Dittus K, Braithwaite D, O’Meara E, Wernli KJ, Miglioretti D, for the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Outcomes of screening mammography by frequency, breast density and postmenopausal hormone therapy. JAMA Intern Med. 2013 May 13;173(9):807-16. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.307. Epub 2013 Mar 18. PubMed

Braithwaite D, Zhu W, Hubbard RA, O'Meara ES, Miglioretti DL, Geller B, Dittus K, Moore D, Wernli KJ, Mandelblatt J, Kerlikowske K, for the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Screening outcomes in older U.S. women undergoing multiple mammograms in community practice: does interval, age or comorbidity score affect tumor characteristics or false positive rates? J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Mar 6;105(5):334-41. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djs645. Epub 2013 Feb 5. PubMed

Phipps AI, Buist DS, Malone KE, Barlow WE, Porter PL, Kerlikowske K, O'Meara ES, Li CI. Breast density, body mass index, and risk of tumor marker-defined subtypes of breast cancer.  Ann Epidemiol. 2012 May;22(5):340-8. Epub 2012 Feb 25. PubMed

Nelson HD, Zakher B, Cantor A, Fu R, Griffin J, O'Meara ES, Buist DS, Kerlikowske K, van Ravesteyn NT, Trentham-Dietz A, Mandelblatt JS, Miglioretti DL. Risk factors for breast cancer for women aged 40 to 49 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2012 May;156(9):635-48. PubMed

Braithwaite D, Zhu W, Hubbard R, O'Meara ES, Miglioretti DL, Geller B, Dittus K, Wernli K, Moore D, Kerlikowske K, for the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Benefits and harms of screening mammography frequency by age and comorbidity score.  Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012;21(3):565. Epub 2012 Feb 15. PubMed

Arab L, Biggs ML, O'Meara ES, Longstreth WT, Crane PK, Fitzpatrick AL. Gender differences in tea, coffee, and cognitive decline in the elderly: the Cardiovascular Health Study. J Alzheimers Dis. 2011;27(3):553-66. PubMed

Elkind MS, Carty CL, O’Meara ES, Lumley T, Lefkowitz D, Kronmal RA, Longstreth Jr WT. Hospitalization for infection and risk of acute ischemic stroke: The Cardiovascular Health Study. Stroke. 2011 Jul;42(7):1851-6. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.608588. Epub 2011 May 5. PubMed

 

Research

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Improving cancer prevention and early detection

How KPWHRI is contributing to better cancer screening and better outcomes for patients.

Research

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Roundup of 3 recent studies on breast cancer screening

New research spotlights overdiagnosis, MRI before surgery, and a new way of predicting breast cancer risk

VOICE STUDY

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Understanding young adults’ experiences with cancer

The VOICE study aims to improve the health and health care of people who had cancer as adolescents and young adults.

Cancer screening

An older woman stands in front of a mammography machine, preparing for her scan

Catching breast cancers when mammograms are limited

New study calculates risk-based approach to detect the most cancers with the fewest exams.