Erin Bowles, MPH
“At KPWHRI, we have access to extensive data on cancer care. I'm using the data to learn how to improve the experiences of cancer patients and their families.”
Erin Bowles, MPH
Senior Research Associate, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Biography
Epidemiologist Erin Bowles, MPH, is looking at cancer and aging from many different perspectives. Her research brings new insight into breast cancer risk factors, treatment, and survivorship, while helping improve cancer care for patients and families.
Ms. Bowles received an R50 mid-career research award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This award is given to cancer researchers who have demonstrated successes and contributions to cancer researcher as a non-principal investigator. As a key member of two large cancer collaborations—the NCI's Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium and the Health Care Systems Cancer Research Network (CRN)—Ms. Bowles has developed diverse expertise that includes reading mammograms for breast density and using administrative data to understand patterns of care in cancer treatment.
Her current work includes:
- a multi-site CRN study led by an investigator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to understand how obesity affects chemotherapy treatment dosing and risks of recurrence and toxicity in women with breast cancer;
- helping investigators from Kaiser Permanente Northern California and the University of California (UC) San Francisco and UC Davis understand imaging trends in children and pregnant women, and subsequent risks of leukemia associated with ionizing radiation from imaging exams; and
- working with Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) investigator Diana Buist, PhD, and investigators from the NCI and Kaiser Permanente Colorado to study how mammographic breast density and radiation treatment are associated with second cancers in women with previous breast cancer.
Ms. Bowles' experience working with large cancer cohorts has provided her with expertise in data collection and management for other subject areas. She is a co-investigator on the Adult Changes in Thought study team, and oversees their living laboratory and data sharing for aging research, along with an annual research symposium. Finally, she is a member of the Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates Evidence-based Practice Center and has participated in systematic evidence reviews for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Research interests and experience
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Cancer
Breast cancer; colorectal cancer; multiple myeloma; thyroid cancer; pancreatic cancer; biostatistics; epidemiology; mammography; mammographic breast density; cancer treatment; cancer screening and surveillance; automated data collection; quality of care; medication use; care coordination; administrative data
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Health Services & Economics
Access to care; health disparities; health outcomes research; quality of life; measurement of change in health care systems; practice variation
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Women's Health
Menopause; hormone replacement therapy (HRT); breast cancer
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Aging & Geriatrics
Cognitive health and dementia; biostatistics; epidemiology; medication use; cancer
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Medication Use & Patient Safety
Pharmacoepidemiology; observational study research methods; chemotherapy; radiation exposure
Recent publications
Weinmann S, Francisco MC, Kwan ML, Bowles EJA, Rahm AK, Greenlee RT, Stout NK, Pole JD, Kushi LH, Smith-Bindman R, Miglioretti DL. Positive predictive value and sensitivity of ICD-9-CM codes for identifying pediatric leukemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2022;69(2):e29383. doi: 10.1002/pbc.29383. Epub 2021 Nov 13. PubMed
Conley CC, Wernli KJ, Knerr S, Li T, Leppig K, Ehrlich K, Farrell D, Gao H, Bowles EJA, Graham AL, Luta G, Jayasekera J, Mandelblatt JS, Schwartz MD, O'Neill SC. Using protection motivation theory to predict intentions for breast cancer risk management: intervention mechanisms from a randomized controlled trial. J Cancer Educ. 2021 Nov 23. doi: 10.1007/s13187-021-02114-y. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Lowry KP, Bissell M, Miglioretti DL, Kerlikowske K, Alsheik N, Macarol T, Bowles EJA, Buist DSM, Tosteson ANA, Henderson L, Herschorn SD, Wernli KJ, Weaver DL, Stout NK, Sprague BL. Breast biopsy recommendations and breast cancers diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Radiology. 2021 Oct 19:211808. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2021211808. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Bowles EJA, O'Neill SC, Li T, Knerr S, Mandelblatt JS, Schwartz MD, Jayasekera J, Leppig K, Ehrlich K, Farrell D, Gao H, Graham AL, Luta G, Wernli KJ. Effect of a randomized trial of a web-based intervention on patient-provider communication about breast density. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2021 Sep 28. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2021.0053 [Epub ahead of print] PubMed
Abubakar M, Fan S, Bowles EA, Widemann L, Duggan MA, Pfeiffer RM, Falk RT, Lawrence S, Richert-Boe K, Glass AG, Kimes TM, Figueroa JD, Rohan TE, Gierach GL. Relation of quantitative histologic and radiologic breast tissue composition metrics with invasive breast cancer risk. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2021 Feb 6;5(3):pkab015. doi: 10.1093/jncics/pkab015. eCollection 2021. PubMed
Lee JM, Ichikawa LE, Wernli KJ, Bowles E, Specht JM, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Lowry KP, Tosteson ANA, Stout NK, Houssami N, Onega T, Buist DSM. Digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis performance in women with a personal history of breast cancer, 2007-2016. Radiology. 2021 Aug;300(2):290-300. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2021204581. Epub 2021 May 18. PubMed
Healthy findings blog
Prioritizing breast screening during COVID-19
As cancer screening rates rebound, Erin Bowles, MPH, reflects on maintaining “pink ribbon” awareness year-round.
healthy findings
Ask an epidemiologist: Where to learn about COVID-19
There’s much confusion about the new disease, but numbers don’t lie. The challenge is finding the right ones.
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.
Breast Cancer Surveillance
Kaiser Permanente Washington Breast Cancer Surveillance Registry
Kaiser Permanente Washington has been part of the national Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium since 1994. Learn about the Kaiser Permanente Washington Breast Cancer Surveillance Registry here.
KPWHRI In the Media
CT scan use in pregnancy rose in U.S. and Canada over two decades
Pregnant women exposed to more risky CT scans
HealthDay, Jul 24, 2019
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