
Jennifer Erdrich
- Assistant Professor, Surgery
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
Contact
- (520) 626-2635
- Arizona Health Sciences Center, Rm. 4327
- Tucson, AZ 85724
- jerdrich@arizona.edu
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)
- 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
- 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
- American Board of Surgery: Complex General Surgical Oncology, American Board of Surgery (2021)
- Fellow of the Society of Surgical Oncology (FSSO), Society of Surgical Oncology (2021)
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), American College of Surgeons (2020)
- California State Medical License (2011)
- Arizona State Medical License (2018)
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) (2013)
- Basic Life Support (BLS) (2013)
- American Board of Surgery Certification (2017)
Interests
No activities entered.
Courses
2023-24 Courses
-
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. (2007). Alcoholism, Suicide, and Drug Addiction among American Indians; National Museum of the American Indian. In Alcoholism, Suicide, and Drug Addiction among American Indians. Harper Collins Publisher.
- Erdrich, J. (2007). Are Indians more prone to certain diseases? National Museum of the American Indian. In Are Indians more prone to certain diseases?. Smithsonian Institution: Harper Collins Publications.
Journals/Publications
- Chalasani, P., Ehsani, S., Erdrich, J., Farr, K., Foster, N., Jiralerspong, S., Potluri, P., Roe, D., Segar, J., & Whittaker, M. (2023).
Abstract P1-05-04: Physician Practice Patterns of Breast Imaging After Treatment: Survey of Real-World Practice
. Cancer Research, 83(5_Supplement), P1-05-04-P1-05-04. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.sabcs22-p1-05-04 - Tulk, A., Watson, R., & Erdrich, J. (2023). The Influence of Statin Use on Chemotherapeutic Efficacy in Studies of Mouse Models: A Systematic Review
Tulk A, Watson R, Erdrich J. The Influence of Statin Use on Chemotherapeutic Efficacy in Studies of Mouse Models: A Systematic Review. Anticancer Res. 2023 Oct;43(10):4263-4275. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.16621. PMID: 37772570.. Anticancer Research, 43(10), 4263-4275. doi:10.21873/anticanres.16621 - 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., & Subhedar, P. (2022). Excisional Breast Biopsy and Partial Mastectomy. The SCORE Portal.
- 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., 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, 82(12_Supplement), 5902-5902. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.am2022-5902More 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.
- 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
- Perez, M., Russell, M., & Erdrich, J. (2022). Ilioinguinal-Femoral Lymphadenectomy. The SCORE Portal.
- 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
- Wu, M., White, A., Monetathchi, A. R., Melkonian, S., Erdrich, J., & Cordova-marks, F. (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. doi:10.1245/s10434-021-10730-7More 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..Data from the National Program of Cancer Registries of the Centers for Disease Control and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results were used for this cross-sectional study. Female patients with invasive breast cancer diagnosed 2010-2015 were stratified by race/ethnicity, surgical procedure, radiation, and region. Percentage distributions of mastectomy and lumpectomy were compared overall and by region and stage..From 2010 to 2015 there were 3292 NH-AI/AN women and 165,225 NHW women diagnosed with breast cancer. For early stage (AJCC stage 1 and 2), NH-AI/AN women had overall significantly higher percentage of mastectomy (41% vs 34.4%, p
- Erdrich, J. (2021). 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. doi:10.1245/s10434-021-10818-0
- Cordova-Marks, F., Fennimore, N., Bruegl, A., & Erdrich, J. (2020). What Should Physicians Consider About American Indian/Alaska Native Women's Reproductive Freedom?. AMA 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 - Junak, M., Jecius, H., & Erdrich, J. (2020). Cutaneous Metastasis in the Setting of Both Colon and Breast Primary Malignancies. Case reports in gastrointestinal medicine, 2020, 8852459.More infoColorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States, and many patients unfortunately have metastases at the time of their diagnosis. Cutaneous metastases of CRC have been reported in few journals and primarily as case reports due to their rarity. Here, we present the case of an 83-year-old woman with recently resected colon cancer, T4aN1bMx stage IIIB. She presented to our clinic for evaluation of a right midback mass, and a punch biopsy revealed dermal involvement by invasive, poorly differentiated carcinoma with epidermoid features. The mass was excised, and we ordered a PET scan in search of the primary tumor, which at that time was suspected to be of skin cancer origin. Surprisingly, this revealed a second malignancy triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast. The back mass stained positive for CK20, which was compatible with a metastasis from a colonic primary. After initially declining adjuvant therapy, the patient completed one cycle of capecitabine and oxaliplatin, which she tolerated poorly. She continued to further decline, developed widespread cutaneous metastases, and went home on hospice. Cutaneous lesions are an exceedingly rare site of metastasis for colon adenocarcinoma, and their clinical presentation can vary widely. It is important for providers to investigate any new skin lesion in a patient with a recent or remote history of malignancy, even if there were no sites of distant metastasis at initial diagnosis.
- 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. (2022, April). Skin Cancer in American Indians/Alaska Natives. Keynote Address for Annual Skin Cancer Institute. University of Arizona Cancer Center.
- 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 CommunitiesNational 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, November). Tribal Cancer Coalition: Skin Cancer in American Indians/Alaska Natives. Tribal Cancer CoalitionArizona Department of Health Services.
- Erdrich, J. (2022, October). Let's Taco Bout Cancer: Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Let's Taco Bout Cancer SeriesUniversity of Arizona Cancer Center.
- 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
- Whittaker, M., Farr, K., Potluri, P., Foster, N., Erdrich, J., Segar, J., Ehsani Chimeh, S., Jiralerspong, S., Roe, D., & 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.
Others
- Erdrich, J. (2021, 12/1/2021). One breast cancer treatment is favored by patients. But for many Native women, it's inaccessible. "The Show"/KJZZ Radio. https://kjzz.org/content/1737358/one-breast-cancer-treatment-favored-patients-many-native-women-its-inaccessibleMore infoA team of Indigenous researchers at the University of Arizona is out this week with new findings that shed light on access to care for Native American women.When it comes to breast cancer treatment, there are two approaches: a mastectomy, where the entire breast is removed, or a lumpectomy, also known as breast-conserving surgery. While it’s always case by case, outcomes for women who undergo both approaches are the same, and patients report less pain and better quality of life with lumpectomies.But, it’s time consuming — paired with often daily radiation treatments. And that could prove difficult for patients who live on remote reservation land.Jennifer Erdrich is an assistant professor of surgery at University of Arizona College of Medicine, and she helped lead the research. The Show spoke with her to learn about the disparities they found.
- Erdrich, J. (2021, November). Study shows disparities in breast cancer treatments for Indigenous women. KNAU. https://www.knau.org/knau-and-arizona-news/2021-11-09/study-shows-disparities-in-breast-cancer-treatments-for-indigenous-women
- Erdrich, J. (2021, November). University of Arizona research shows disparity in breast cancer treatments for Indigenous women. Arizona Public Media. https://news.azpm.org/p/news-topical-biz/2021/11/17/203430-university-of-arizona-research-shows-disparity-in-breast-cancer-treatments-for-indigenous-women/