Jennifer Erdrich
- Assistant Professor, Surgery
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
- (520) 626-2635
- Arizona Health Sciences Center, Rm. 4327
- Tucson, AZ 85724
- jerdrich@arizona.edu
Biography
Jennifer Erdrich, MD, MPH, MFA, FACS, FSSO, is a surgical oncologist and assistant professor with the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Arizona Department of Surgery. A member of the University of Arizona Cancer Center, she specializes in melanoma, sarcoma and breast cancers.
Dr. Erdrich earned her Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School. She attained a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in cancer prevention and completed an NCI-funded research fellowship at Harvard School of Public Health. In addition, she completed her general surgery residency at Stanford University, followed by a fellowship in surgical oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
After personally witnessing many of the disparities in Native American healthcare, especially in the areas of surgical care and cancer treatment, Dr. Erdrich developed a particular clinical and research interest in serving tribal populations. Through her work in the Department of Surgery, she hopes to expand the surgical oncology resources available to local tribal communities through multidisciplinary approaches that leverage innovation and teamwork.
Dr. Erdrich has received significant recognition for her work with underserved populations. While a resident at Stanford, she was the recipient of the Samuel L. Kountz Humanitarian Award for personifying professionalism, compassion, and respect for the dignity of those experiencing disparities in healthcare. She was also the recipient of the John Henry Smith Award, a Stanford general surgery award for distinguished dedication, hard work, honesty, and concern for patients. Dr. Erdrich is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Oncology.
Degrees
- M.F.A. Creative Writing
- Institute of American Indian Arts, Sante Fe, New Mexico
- MPH Cancer-Prevention Concentration
- Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- M.D. Medical School
- Havard, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- B.A. Bachelor of Arts in English, Biology Minor
- Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
- Exchange Program Native American Studies
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States
- Study Abroad Literature and Creative Writing
- Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
Work Experience
- The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2018 - Ongoing)
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (2016 - 2018)
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (2012)
- Stanford University Medical Center (2009 - 2016)
Awards
- Valedictorian
- Academy of Our Lady of Peace, San Diego, CA, Summer 1999
- 2023 Women in Medicine Month (WIMS) Torchbearer Award
- University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Fall 2023
- Fellow, Society of Surgical Oncology
- Society of Surgical Oncology, Spring 2021
- Fellow, American College of Surgeons (elected)
- American College of Surgeons, Fall 2020
- John Henry Smith Award, Stanford University General Surgery Award
- Stanford University, Summer 2016
- Samuel L. Kountz Humanitarian Award, Stanford University General Surgery Award
- Stanford University, Summer 2016
- Kocaeli Travel Fellowship
- Harvard University, Spring 2013
- NCI Cancer Prevention Fellowship, MPH Scholarship Award
- Harvard University, Fall 2011
- Ghiso Fellowship, Palliative Care Grant, Children’s Hospital in Boston
- Children’s Hospital in Boston, Spring 2007
- James Lyon Award for Service, L.E.A.D (Leadership, Education, Activism, and Diversity)
- Stanford University, Summer 2001
- Stanford University, Summer 2000
- Chappell Lougee Grant
- Stanford University, Spring 2001
Licensure & Certification
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), American College of Surgeons (2020)
- American Board of Surgery Certification, American Board of Surgery (2017)
- Arizona State Medical License (56959), Arizona Medical Board (2018)
- California State Medical License (A117066), Medical Board of California (2011)
- Basic Life Support (BLS), American Heart Association (2013)
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), American Heart Association (2013)
- Fellow of the Society of Surgical Oncology (FSSO), Society of Surgical Oncology (2021)
- American Board of Surgery: Complex General Surgical Oncology, American Board of Surgery (2021)
Interests
No activities entered.
Courses
2024-25 Courses
-
General Surgery
SURG 840A (Spring 2025) -
General Surgery
SURG 840A (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
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General Surgery
SURG 840A (Spring 2024) -
General Surgery
SURG 840A (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
-
General Surgery
SURG 840A (Spring 2023)
2021-22 Courses
-
Honors Thesis
PCOL 498H (Spring 2022) -
Honors Thesis
PCOL 498H (Fall 2021)
2019-20 Courses
-
Research
SURG 800E (Spring 2020)
Scholarly Contributions
Chapters
- Erdrich, J. (2024). Item writer for the 2024-2025 This Week in SCORE’s Breast Cancer quiz. In The SCORE Portal.
- Erdrich, J. (2024). Item writer for the 2024-2025 This Week in SCORE’s Skin Cancers quiz. In The SCORE Portal.
- Erdrich, J., & Essner, R. (2024). Item writers for the TWIS Skin Cancer Quiz. In The SCORE Portal.
- Asare, E., Erdrich, J., & Gershenwald, J. (2023). Melanoma – Wide Excision. In The SCORE Portal.
- Erdrich, J. (2023). Simple, Modified Radical, and Radical Mastectomy. In The SCORE Portal.
- Erdrich, J., Farrow, N., & Beasley, G. (2023). Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Melanoma. In The SCORE Portal.
- Erdrich, J., & Subhedar, P. (2022). Excisional Breast Biopsy and Partial Mastectomy. In The SCORE Portal. http://www.surgicalcore.org. Published October 2022. Accessed October 24, 2022.
- Perez, M. C., Russell, M. C., & Erdrich, J. (2022). Ilioinguinal-Femoral Lymphadenectomy. In The SCORE Portal.
- Erdrich, J. (2007). Alcoholism, Suicide, and Drug Addiction among American Indians. In National Museum of the American Indian. Harper Collins Publisher.
- Erdrich, J. (2007). Are Indians more prone to certain diseases? National Museum of the American Indian. In National Museum of the American Indian. Smithsonian Institution: Harper Collins Publications.
Journals/Publications
- Fernandez, J. M., Mata, E. M., Erdrich, J., & Fazel, M. (2023). Retrospective Cohort Analysis of Sex Differences in American Indians and Alaska Natives With Invasive Melanoma From the National Cancer Database. Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], 49(11), 1039-1041.
- Taber, P., Armin, J. S., Orozco, G., Del Fiol, G., Erdrich, J., Kawamoto, K., & Israni, S. T. (2023). Artificial Intelligence and Cancer Control: Toward Prioritizing Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) in Emerging Decision Support Technologies. Current oncology reports, 25(5), 387-424.More infoThis perspective piece has two goals: first, to describe issues related to artificial intelligence-based applications for cancer control as they may impact health inequities or disparities; and second, to report on a review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of artificial intelligence-based tools for cancer control to ascertain the extent to which discussions of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, or health disparities manifest in syntheses of the field's best evidence.
- Tulk, A., Watson, R., & Erdrich, J. (2023). The Influence of Statin Use on Chemotherapeutic Efficacy in Studies of Mouse Models: A Systematic Review. Anticancer Research, 43(10), 4263-4275. doi:10.21873/anticanres.16621
- Wang, Z., Li, W., Jiang, Y., Tran, T., Cordova, L., Chung, J., Kim, M., Wondrak, G., Erdrich, J., & Lu, J. (2023). Sphingomyelin-derived nanovesicles for the delivery of the IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat enhance metastatic and post-surgical melanoma immunotherapy . Nature Communications, 14(1), 7235. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-43079-4
- Cordova-Marks, F. M., Carson, W. O., Monetathchi, A., Little, A., & Erdrich, J. (2022). Native and Indigenous Populations and Gastric Cancer: A Worldwide Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9).More infoGastric cancer is a worldwide concern, particularly for Indigenous populations who face greater disparities in healthcare. With decreased access to screening and critical treatment delays, this group is experiencing adverse health effects. To determine what factors drive these disparities, a systematic review was performed in PubMed. This revealed a lack of research on gastric cancer specific to this population. The literature primarily focused on subset analyses and biological aspects with sparse focus on determinants of health. The results informed this presentation on factors related to Indigenous gastric cancer, which are influenced by colonialism. Indigenous populations encounter high rates of food shortage, exposure to harmful environmental agents, structural racism in the built environment, , and compromised healthcare quality as an effect of colonialism, which all contribute to the gastric cancer burden. Putting gastric cancer into a cultural context is a potential means to respond to colonial perspectives and their negative impact on Indigenous patients. The objective of this manuscript is to examine the current state of gastric cancer literature from a global perspective, describe what is currently known based on this literature review, supplemented with additional resources due to lack of published works in PubMed, and to present a model of gastric cancer through the lens of a modified medicine wheel as a potential tool to counter colonial healthcare perspectives and to honor Indigenous culture.
- Erdrich, J. (2022). ASO Author Reflections: Mastectomy Versus Lumpectomy: Are There Surgical Disparities for Native American Women Compared with White Women?. Annals of surgical oncology, 29(2), 1031-1032.
- Erdrich, J., Cordova-Marks, F., Monetathchi, A. R., Wu, M., White, A., & Melkonian, S. (2022). Disparities in Breast-Conserving Therapy for Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native Women Compared with Non-Hispanic White Women. Annals of surgical oncology, 29(2), 1019-1030.More infoLittle is known about the surgical patterns of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are disparities in breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy between non-Hispanic AI/AN (NH-AI/AN) women and non-Hispanic White (NHW) women.
- Erdrich, J., Lourdault, K., Judd, A., Kaufman, D., Gong, K. W., Gainsbury, M., Deng, N., Shon, W., & Essner, R. (2022). Four Immune Modulating Genes in Primary Melanoma That Predict Metastatic Potential. The Journal of surgical research, 279, 682-691.More infoHistologic characteristics cannot adequately predict which patients are at risk of developing metastatic disease after excision of primary cutaneous melanoma. The aim of this study was to identify immunomodulatory genes in primary tumors associated with development of distant metastases.
- Judd, A., Weinkauf, C., & Erdrich, J. (2022). Subclavian Vein Stenosis Imitating Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Cureus, 14(12). doi:10.7759/cureus.32184
- Watson, R., Tulk, A., & Erdrich, J. (2022). The Link Between Statins and Breast Cancer in Mouse Models: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 14(11). doi:10.7759/cureus.31893
- Cordova-Marks, F., Fennimore, N., Bruegl, A., & Erdrich, J. (2020). What Should Physicians Consider About American Indian/Alaska Native Women's Reproductive Freedom?. American Medical Association Journal of Ethics, 22(10), E845-850.More infoHistorically, American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have been subjected to a lack of control over various aspects of their lives, including their reproductive health. In discussions of family planning with AI/AN patients, clinicians must consider past violations of reproductive rights and the need for transparent consent. This article explores the following questions: What were historical violations of AI/AN women's reproductive rights? How should physicians express respect for this history and for the autonomy of AI/AN female patients regarding surgical sterilization procedures today?
- Erdrich, J., & Gonzales, C. R. (2020). How Should Health Professions Schools Partner With AI/AN Communities?. AMA journal of ethics, 22(10), E851-855.More infoMany health professions education institutions exist on land once inhabited by American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Land acknowledgment by these academic organizations is helpful, but collaborative support of AI/AN health is also needed. Because tribal-university partnerships in education are fewer than in research but just as important, this article considers health professions schools' responsibilities to offer students clinical rotations on tribal lands and to recruit AI/AN students. Such investment expands student educational opportunity, diversifies clinical workforces, and helps tribes improve health infrastructure and sustainability. This article also offers an adaptable roadmap for building such partnerships.
- Erdrich, J., Jecius, H., Junak, M., & Kikuchi, S. (2020).
Cutaneous Metastasis in the Setting of Both Colon and Breast Primary Malignancies
. Case Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine, 2020, 1-4. doi:10.1155/2020/8852459 - Erdrich, J., Schaberg, K. B., Khodadoust, M. S., Zhou, L., Shelton, A. A., Visser, B. C., Ford, J. M., Alizadeh, A. A., Quake, S. R., Kunz, P. L., & Beausang, J. F. (2018). Surgical and molecular characterization of primary and metastatic disease in a neuroendocrine tumor arising in a tailgut cyst. Cold Spring Harbor molecular case studies, 4(5).More infoNeuroendocrine tumors (NETs) arising from tailgut cysts are a rare but increasingly reported entity with gene expression profiles that may be indicative of the gastrointestinal cell of origin. We present a case report describing the unique pathological and genomic characteristics of a tailgut cyst NET that metastasized to liver. The histologic and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with a well-differentiated NET. Genomic testing indicates a germline frameshift in and a few somatic mutations of unknown significance. Transcriptomic analysis suggests an enteroendocrine L cell in the tailgut as a putative cell of origin. Genomic profiling of a rare NET and metastasis provides insight into its origin, development, and potential therapeutic options.
- Gainsbury, M. L., Erdrich, J., Taubman, D., Mirocha, J., Manguso, N., Amersi, F., & Silberman, A. W. (2018). Prevalence and Predictors of Preoperative Venous Thromboembolism in Asymptomatic Patients Undergoing Major Oncologic Surgery. Annals of surgical oncology, 25(6), 1640-1645.More infoPostoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of in-hospital mortality for cancer patients; however, the prevalence of preoperative VTE remains unclear.
- Melkonian, S. C., Jim, M. A., Reilley, B., Erdrich, J., Berkowitz, Z., Wiggins, C. L., Haverkamp, D., & White, M. C. (2018). Incidence of primary liver cancer in American Indians and Alaska Natives, US, 1999-2009. Cancer causes & control : CCC, 29(9), 833-844.More infoTo evaluate liver cancer incidence rates and risk factor correlations in non-Hispanic AI/AN populations for the years 1999-2009.
- Erdrich, J., Kastenberg, Z. J., DiMaio, M. A., Longacre, T. A., & Rhoads, K. F. (2015). Collateral damage: taxane-induced colonic perforation. Digestive diseases and sciences, 60(2), 313-5.
- Erdrich, J., Zhang, X., Giovannucci, E., & Willett, W. (2015). Proportion of colon cancer attributable to lifestyle in a cohort of US women. Cancer causes & control : CCC, 26(9), 1271-1279.More infoMany modifiable lifestyle factors have been associated with colon cancer risk, but less is known about their effect on disease when considered together. Estimating the proportion of colon cancer cases that could be prevented by the adoption of combined modifiable lifestyle behaviors will provide important insights into disease prevention.
- Yang, R. L., Esquivel, M., Erdrich, J., Lau, J., Melcher, M. L., & Wapnir, I. L. (2014). PREDICT: Instituting an Educational Time Out in the Operating Room. Journal of graduate medical education, 6(2), 382-3.
Presentations
- Erdrich, J. (2024, February). Caring for Native American Patients (panel member). Medical Student Orientation. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona, College of Medicine-Tucson.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, April). Skin Cancer in American Indians/Alaska Natives. Keynote Address for Annual Skin Cancer Institute. University of Arizona Cancer Center.
- Erdrich, J. (2023, April). Let's Talk About Cancer: Breast Cancer. Community event for Pascua Yaqui hosted by El Rio Health; The University of Arizona Cancer Center Community Outreach & Engagement. Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona Cancer Center.
- Erdrich, J. (2023, February). Caring for Native American Patients (panel member). Medical Student Orientation. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona, College of Medicine-Tucson.
- Erdrich, J. (2023, September). Pathways to Surgery. AED Presentation (UA Pre-professional health honor society). Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, June). Zigzags in Native American Cancer Research. SIMinar for The Summer Institute on Medical Ignorance Research Program.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, May). Data Blitz Presentation: Mastectomy vs Lumpectomy -- Are There Surgical Disparities for Native American women with breast cancer. COM-T Research Day. University of Arizona College of Medicine.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, May). Native American Cancer Disparities . Dept of Surgery Research Day Guest Speaker. University of Arizona.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, November). Current Models of Care for Indigenous People. Cancer Prevention in Indigenous Communities (CPIC). Virtual Meeting: National Institutes of Health.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, November). My Zigzag Journey Becoming a Surgical Oncologist . My Journey Series: Partnership for Native American Cancer PreventionNACP.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, October). Let's Talk About Cancer. Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Cancer Center.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, October). Tribal Cancer Coalition: Skin Cancer in American Indians/Alaska Natives. Tribal Cancer Coalition. Tucson, AZ (Virtual Meeting): Arizona Department of Health Services.
- Erdrich, J. (2020, Apr). Let’s Talk About Cancer (invited speaker). Native American Cancer Prevention; University of Arizona Cancer Center. Nationally Presented Webinar: University of Arizona Cancer Center.
- Erdrich, J. (2020, Oct). 13th Annual ADHS Arizona Tribal Collaborative on Cancer Roundtable (Invited virtual panelist). 13th Annual ADHS Arizona Tribal Collaborative on Cancer. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Department of Health Services and the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
- Erdrich, J. (2019, Nov). Answering the Call for More Native Physicians (invited panelist). Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Annual Conference. Phoenix, AZ: Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
- Erdrich, J. (2019, Nov). Cancer Trends in Indian Country (invited speaker). NACP Tribal Cancer Speaker Series; Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP). Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona (Web-Ex Nationally Presented).
- Erdrich, J. (2019, Nov). Skin Cancer in AI/AN (invited speaker). 12th Annual Arizona Tribal Collaborative on Cancer. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Department of Health Services and the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
- Erdrich, J. (2019, Oct). Landmark Papers Session (invited panelist). Association of Women Surgeons Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA: Association of Women Surgeons.
- Erdrich, J. (2019, September). Native American Cancer Burden: The Influence of Dollars, Distance, and Diplomacy. University of Arizona – Tucson, Department of Surgery Grand Rounds. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona.
Poster Presentations
- Cordova-Marks, F., Carson, W., Monetathchi, A., Little, A., & Erdrich, J. (2022, March). A Worldwide Review: Indigenous Populations and Gastric Cancer. 2022 MEZCOPH Public Health Poster Forum. Tucson, AZ.
- Cordova-Marks, F., Carson, W., Monetathchi, A., Little, A., & Erdrich, J. (2022, Nov). Through an Indigenous Lens: Gastric Cancer Worldwide. 2022 Cancer Prevention in Indigenous Communities: Screening to Follow Up. Tucson, AZ.
- Erdrich, J., Eliassen, A. H., Willett, W. C., Tamimi, R. M., Rosner, B. A., Hu, F. B., Giovannucci, E. L., Holmes, M. D., Chen, W. Y., Chai, B., Kang, J. H., & Wang, T. (2022). Abstract 5902: Metformin and other anti-diabetic medication use and breast cancer incidence in the Nurses’ Health Studies. Cancer Research.More infoAbstract Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been associated with increased risk of breast cancer. However, the role of metformin, the first-line anti-diabetic drug, in breast cancer carcinogenesis has not been elucidated completely. We aimed to examine further the association between the use of metformin and other anti-diabetic medication and breast cancer incidence within two large prospective cohort studies. Methods: We followed 184,437 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS;1994-2016) and the NHSII (1995-2017), with the baseline tied to the date metformin was introduced into the United States market. Information on T2D diagnosis, metformin, and other anti-diabetic medication, and other covariates were self-reported at baseline and repeatedly assessed by follow-up questionnaires every two to four years. Breast cancer cases were self-reported and confirmed by medical record review. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between metformin/other anti-diabetic medication use and breast cancer incidence were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: During 3,412,366 person-years of follow-up, we ascertained 9,442 incident invasive breast cancer cases, of which 720 were among women with T2D. Compared with women without T2D (n=168,498), similar risks of developing breast cancer were observed among those who ever used metformin (HR =0.95; 95%CI=0.79-1.13) and among those who received medications other than metformin (HR =1.11; 95%CI=0.91-1.37). Among women with T2D (n=15,939), compared with never metformin users, ever use of metformin overall was not associated with breast cancer (HR =0.90; 95%CI=0.72-1.13), but a lower risk of breast cancer was observed among past metformin users (HR =0.72; 95%CI=0.52-0.99). Longer duration of metformin use was not associated with risk of breast cancer (each 2-year interval: HR =0.98; 95%CI=0.93-1.03, p-trend=0.32). However, among women with substantial weight increase since age 18 (>25 kg), greater than 5 years of metformin use was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer (HR =0.62; 95%CI=0.43-0.89). Conclusion: Although we observed inverse associations among past metformin users, similar associations were not found among current users. Overall, metformin use was not strongly associated with the risk of developing breast cancer among the general cohort population or among women with T2D. Citation Format: Tengteng Wang, Jae H. Kang, Boyang Chai, Wendy Y. Chen, Michelle D. Holmes, Jennifer Erdrich, Edward L. Giovannucci, Frank B. Hu, Bernard A. Rosner, Rulla M. Tamimi, Walter C. Willett, A. Heather Eliassen. Metformin and other anti-diabetic medication use and breast cancer incidence in the Nurses’ Health Studies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5902.
- Whittaker, M., Whittaker, M., Farr, K., Farr, K., Potluri, P., Potluri, P., Foster, N., Foster, N., Erdrich, J., Erdrich, J., Segar, J., Segar, J., Ehsani Chimeh, S., Ehsani Chimeh, S., Jiralerspong, S., Jiralerspong, S., Roe, D., Roe, D., Chalasani, P., & Chalasani, P. (2022, December). Physician Practice Patterns of Breast Imaging After Treatment: Survey of Real-World Practice. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. San Antonio Texas.
- Erdrich, J., Gong, K., Kaufman, D., Deng, N., & Essner, R. (2018, Oct). Microarray Gene Expression of the Primary Tumor Predicts Sentinel Lymph Node Disease. The 15th International Congress of the Society for Melanoma Research. Manchester, England.