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
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.
Laura is primarily focused on cancer research and women’s health. She’s involved in 2 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 for both screening and surveillance while also examining use of screening MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and ultrasound. Laura 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. She is excited to continue her work in cancer research, including in screening, treatment, surveillance, and survival.
Laura’s earlier research with retired KPWHRI Senior Investigator Delia Scholes, PhD, included studies examining bone loss associated with the injectable hormonal contraceptive Depo-Provera in 2002 and 2005 and oral contraceptives in 2011.
Laura 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
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
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 May 1;121(9):1369-78. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29199. Epub 2015 Jan 20. 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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