Laurel A. Habel, PhD

People

Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
2000 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612

(510) 891-3715 (phone)
laurel.habel@kp.org
Kaiser Permanente Researcher Profiles

Laurel Habel, PhD, has been a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research since 1996. Dr. Habel obtained her master’s in public health in epidemiology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1980 and her doctorate in epidemiology from the University of Washington, Seattle in 1996. Dr. Habel’s research interests include the etiology and progression of cancer and precursor lesions for cancer; mammographic density and other biomarkers of disease risk or progression; and the association between use of medications and cancer risk. She is the principal investigator or site principal investigator on several federally-funded research projects.

Current Position(s):

Research Scientist III, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Consulting Professor in Epidemiology, Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

Section Affiliations:

Associate Director, Cancer Research

Primary Research Interests:

Breast cancer etiology and progression
Etiology and progression of precursor lesions for cancer
Mammographic density and other biomarkers of disease risk or progression
Use of medication and cancer risk

Studies

Adherence to Oral Chemotherapy among Patients with Solid Tumors

Use of oral chemotherapy agents for the treatment of many solid tumors has been increasing. This project aims to examine the use of oral chemotherapy over the last 10 years, the proportion of patients who are adherent to their oral therapy, and the factors related to adherence.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: Northern California Community Benefit Programs

Pharmaceuticals and Cancer

This study continues surveillance of more than 200 of the most commonly prescribed drugs for carcinogenicity, and examines selected drug-cancer associations of potential importance.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: Kaiser Permanente Institutional Planned Giving

Genome-wide Pleiotropy Scan across Multiple Cancers

Understanding similarities among phenotypically distinct cancers could provide insight into biological basis of disease and suggest treatment overlap among patients with seemingly distinct cancers. We will evaluate this by undertaking a genome-wide association study (GWAS) across all major cancers types in the genotyped cohort of the Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health. Our aims are to: 1) Undertake an overall cancer GWAS across cancer sites to obtain a baseline estimate of the potential pleiotrophic association of genetic variants with multiple cancers. 2) Apply recently developed cross-site GWAS methods to search for potential associations across varying subgroups of cancers. 3) Extend the approach applied in Aim 2 to consider more complex sets of cancer subtypes. 4) The potential subgroups for consideration in the combined GWAS will be based on germline genetic information. We will develop novel approaches that cluster individuals with cancer into potential subgroups that reflect their genetic similarity.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: National Cancer Institute

Long-term Trends in Breast Cancer DNA Copy Number Alterations and Disparities

This R03 study will add new assays for DNA copy number alteration, building on our R21, which has obtained tumor specimens on breast cancer patients from KPNC. Our aim has two parts: 1) Extract DNA from the 30 tumor blocks obtained for our R21 (5 specimens per decade, from 1947-1959 to 2000-2009, randomly selected from invasive cases of breast cancer diagnosed among women age 50-64); and 2) Determine whether current assays for DNA copy number alteration can validly be employed with the study specimens. Results will inform the feasibility of developing an R01 to study long-term trends in prevalence of and racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in breast cancer tumor profiles (using the KPNC & New Zealand data).
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: National Cancer Institute

Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) for breast cancer: Impact of a recently implemented outreach and education program at KPNC

The goal of the project is to examine the impact of a recently implemented outreach and education program at KPNC on adherence and compliance of hormonal therapy among women diagnosed with hormone receptor positive breast cancer. The program was implemented in July 2011 and we will examine adherence and compliance in the 5 years pre- and post-implementation.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: Northern California Community Benefit Programs

A Biophysical Stromal Basis for Radiation Sensitivity in Ductal Carcinoma in situ

We hypothesize that high tensile forces of activated stroma play a critical role in the survival and proliferation of cancerous epithelial cells through direct involvement of the YAP-TAZ and PI3-k pathways, and that disengaging pro-survival mechanosignaling emanating from the activated stroma is a promising approach to enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Our goals are to determine if tensile forces specifically regulate ionizing radiation (IR) therapy resistance by testing 1) whether the YAP-TAZ and PI3-k pathways are acting independently in IR-mediated cell death and proliferation; and 2) whether integrin mechanosignaling modifies this regulation. In addition, we have the unique opportunity to investigate whether stromal biophysical and morphological features are associated YAP-TAZ signaling and disease progression in clinical DCIS.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: National Cancer Institute

Mammographic Density and Prognosis among Breast Cancer Intrinsic Subtypes

The primary goal of this study is to determine whether mammographic density at diagnosis of invasive breast cancer predicts risk of subsequent breast cancer events among patients participating in two large and well-characterized population-based cohorts (LACE and Pathways) within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan membership. Breast cancers have already been classified into intrinsic subtypes using a 50-gene assay (PAM50 assay).
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: National Cancer Institute

Genome-Wide Association Study of Mammographic Density

Mammographic density (MD) is one of the strongest known risk factors for breast cancer. Our primary goal is to identify novel genes for MD by conducting a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 30,000 Caucasian women participating in KPNC's Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health (RPGEH). We will obtain routine screening mammograms and assess breast density. RPGEH and KPNC databases will provide genome-wide marker data for over 650K SNPs as well as extensive epidemiologic and medical data, including BMI, lifestyle and reproductive factors, and use of prescription medications.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: National Cancer Institute

A Comparison of HER2 Positive and HER2 Negative Disease among a Large Population-Based Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients

The aims of this study are to: 1) Estimate the age-specific incidence of HER2+ breast cancer in the Northern California Kaiser Permanente membership. 2) Among breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2005, compare demographic (e.g., age, race) and tumor (e.g., ER, PR, size, grade, nodal status) characteristics for those with HER2 positive and HER2 negative disease. 3) Among a random selection of HER2+ patients, collect additional information on cormorbid conditions of importance for treatment with Herceptin and/or entry into adjuvant clinical trials. 4) Compare the characteristics of HER2+ patients in the KP membership to those of patients entered into the standard adjuvant chemotherapy/Herceptin trials and estimate the percent of KP patients with HER2+ disease that would have been eligible for either of these trials.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: Genentech, Inc.

Study of Womens Health Across the Nation (SWAN): UC Davis and Kaiser Permanente

The objective of this project is to follow a large multi-ethnic sample of premenopausal women through the menopausal transition, in order to investigate the influence of biological and social and cultural factors on age at menopause, symptoms of menopause and change in disease risk factor status.
Investigator: Habel, Laurel
Funder: National Institute on Aging

Highlighted Publications

Tamoxifen and Antidepressant Drug Interaction in a Cohort of 16 887 Breast Cancer Survivors

Author(s): Haque R; Shi J; Schottinger JE; Ahmed SA; Cheetham TC; Chung J; Avila C; Kleinman K; Habel LA; Fletcher SW; Kwan ML

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2016 Mar;108(3). Epub 2015-12-01.

Current Position(s):

Section Affiliations:

Primary Research Interests:

Studies

Adherence to Oral Chemotherapy among Patients with Solid Tumors

Pharmaceuticals and Cancer

Genome-wide Pleiotropy Scan across Multiple Cancers

Long-term Trends in Breast Cancer DNA Copy Number Alterations and Disparities

Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) for breast cancer: Impact of a recently implemented outreach and education program at KPNC

A Biophysical Stromal Basis for Radiation Sensitivity in Ductal Carcinoma in situ

Mammographic Density and Prognosis among Breast Cancer Intrinsic Subtypes

Genome-Wide Association Study of Mammographic Density

A Comparison of HER2 Positive and HER2 Negative Disease among a Large Population-Based Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients

Study of Womens Health Across the Nation (SWAN): UC Davis and Kaiser Permanente

Highlighted Publications

Tamoxifen and Antidepressant Drug Interaction in a Cohort of 16 887 Breast Cancer Survivors

Publications

Feasibility of analyzing DNA copy number variation in breast cancer tumor specimens from 1950 to 2010: how old is too old?

Serum cholesterol trajectories in the 10 years prior to lymphoma diagnosis

Disparities in Prostate, Lung, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer Survival and Comorbidity Status among Urban American Indians and Alaskan Natives

Clinical risk score to predict likelihood of recurrence after ductal carcinoma in situ treated with breast-conserving surgery

Age at menarche and late adolescent adiposity associated with mammographic density on processed digital mammograms in 24,840 women

Hydrochlorothiazide use is strongly associated with risk of lip cancer

Research Letter: Anticholinergic Drugs and the Gallbladder - A Neglected Effect?

Statin use and risk of multiple myeloma: An analysis from the Cancer Research Network

Feasibility of collecting tumor samples of breast cancer patients diagnosed up to 50 years ago in the Child Health and Development Studies

Effect of Race and Ethnicity on Antihypertensive Medication Utilization Among Women in the United States: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)

Genome-wide association study of prostate-specific antigen levels identifies novel loci independent of prostate cancer.

The Effect of California's Breast Density Notification Legislation on Breast Cancer Screening

Statins and Reduced Risk of Liver Cancer: Evidence for Confounding

Use of sildenafil or other phosphodiesterase inhibitors and risk of melanoma

Exercise and Prognosis on the Basis of Clinicopathologic and Molecular Features in Early Stage Breast Cancer; The LACE and Pathways Studies

Exercise and Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Women With Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer

Case-control study of mammographic density and breast cancer risk using processed digital mammograms

Breast cancer multigene testing trends and impact on chemotherapy use

Time for integrating clinical, lifestyle and molecular data to predict drug responses - Authors' reply

Identification of Associations Between Prescribed Medications and Cancer: A Nationwide Screening Study

Tamoxifen and Antidepressant Drug Interaction in a Cohort of 16 887 Breast Cancer Survivors

A meta-analysis of individual participant data reveals an association between circulating levels of IGF-I and prostate cancer risk

Characteristics of second breast events among women treated with breast-conserving surgery for DCIS in the community

Pioglitazone Use and Risk of Bladder Cancer--Reply

Analyzing historical trends in breast cancer biomarker expression: a feasibility study (1947-2009)

Physical Activity and Risk of Male Breast Cancer

Pioglitazone Use and Risk of Bladder Cancer and Other Common Cancers in Persons With Diabetes

Prediagnostic Sex Steroid Hormones in Relation to Male Breast Cancer Risk

Risk Prediction for Local Breast Cancer Recurrence Among Women with DCIS Treated in a Community Practice: A Nested, Case-Control Study

A large multi-ethnic genome-wide association study of prostate cancer identifies novel risk variants and substantial ethnic differences

Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Differences in Short-Term Breast Cancer Survival Among Women in an Integrated Health System

Association of high obesity with PAM50 breast cancer intrinsic subtypes and gene expression

A hybrid approach to identify subsequent breast cancer using pathology and automated health information data

Metformin use and lung cancer risk in patients with diabetes

Association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and change in mammographic density over time in the SWAN mammographic density subcohort

Reply to L. Cabel et al

Treatment patterns for ductal carcinoma in situ from 2000-2010 across six integrated health plans

Imputation of the Rare HOXB13 G84E Mutation and Cancer Risk in a Large Population-Based Cohort

Characterization and Treatment of Local Recurrence Following Breast Conservation for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

Distant Invasive Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive T1a and T1b Node-Negative Localized Breast Cancer Diagnosed From 2000 to 2006: A Cohort From an Integrated Health Care Delivery System

Complications of herpes zoster in cancer patients

Proteinuria testing among patients with diabetes mellitus is associated with bladder cancer diagnosis: potential for unmeasured confounding in studies of pioglitazone and bladder cancer

Performance of Claims-based Algorithms for Identifying Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Among Patients Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

Intrinsic subtypes from the PAM50 gene expression assay in a population-based breast cancer survivor cohort; Prognostication of short and long term outcomes

Intrinsic subtypes from PAM50 gene expression assay in a population-based breast cancer cohort; Differences by age, race, and tumor characteristics

Race and breast cancer survival by intrinsic subtype based on PAM50 gene expression

Antidepressants and testicular cancer

Ovarian cancer rates after hysterectomy with and without salpingo-oophorectomy

Cohort Study of Insulin Glargine and Risk of Breast, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancer Among Patients With Diabetes

Risk factors for non-invasive and invasive local recurrence in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ

HOXB13:IL17BR and molecular grade index and risk of breast cancer death among patients with lymph node-negative invasive disease

Racial/ethnic differences in use and duration of adjuvant hormonal therapy for breast cancer in the Women's Health Initiative

Patterns and predictors of breast cancer chemotherapy use in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2004-2007

The Epidemiology of Herpes Zoster in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Cancer

Smoking and survival after breast cancer diagnosis; a prospective observational study and systematic review

Utilization of HER2 genetic testing in a multi-institutional observational study

Antihypertensive Drugs and Lip Cancer in Non-Hispanic Whites

Risk of heart failure in breast cancer patients after anthracycline and trastuzumab treatment: a retrospective cohort study

Patterns of Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy Use in the Northern California Breast Cancer Family Registry

Ten-Year Risk of Diagnostic Mammograms and Invasive Breast Procedures After Breast-Conserving Surgery for DCIS

Validity of Eight Integrated Healthcare Delivery Organizations' Administrative Clinical Data to Capture Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Exposure

A practical molecular assay to predict survival in resected non-squamous, non-small-cell lung cancer: development and international validation studies

Risk of cancer in patients exposed to gabapentin in two electronic medical record systems