Louise Walter, MD

Professor and Chief

Dr. Walter was appointed Chief of the UCSF Division of Geriatrics in July 2013 after serving as interim division chief since August 2012. Her leadership role spans three major health systems, UCSF Health, San Francisco VA Health Care System and Zuckerberg San Francisco General. The Division of Geriatrics has doubled in size under her leadership and is now consistently ranked as one of the top Geriatrics Programs in the US by US News and World Report.

Dr. Walter is a clinician-researcher who is a national leader in evaluating the real-world harms and benefits of cancer screening in older patients. Dr. Walter received her MD from Stanford University in 1995. She completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in geriatrics at UCSF. Dr. Walter joined the UCSF faculty in July 2001, and she is a geriatrician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

Dr. Walter has transformed our approach to cancer screening in older adults. She has developed novel methodology demonstrating the fundamental importance of life expectancy rather than age in determining benefits and harms of cancer screening. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach that assumes screening is appropriate for everyone above or below a certain age, her research has taken a patient-centered approach that considers the effect of life expectancy and patient preferences on benefits and harms of screening. Virtually every cancer screening guideline cites her research. Further, her studies of older adults in poor health documented the extent to which screening can lead to clinical harm. This research changed national VA quality indicators and convinced California state auditors to abandon their mandatory mammography policy for health plans that care for frail older adults. Her approach also forms the basis for the management of other chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes) in older adults and the surveillance of cancer risk factors (e.g., colon polyps) and cancer recurrence in older adults. She was elected into the American Society for Clinical Research in 2012.

Dr. Walter is Principal Investigator of several foundation grants and Co-Investigator on several NIH and PCORI grants to study the harms and benefits of cancer screening and surveillance in older adults. She completed a K24 mentoring award from the National Institute on Aging and now leads the Career Development Core (REC) for the UCSF Pepper Center. She also is Associate Director for the UCSF CTSI K Scholars Program as well as the Tideswell Emerging Leaders in Aging Program. Dr. Walter is strongly committed to mentoring the next generation of clinical investigators and leaders in aging as evidenced by her receipt of the 2010 UCSF Academic Senate Distinction in Mentoring Award and her receipt of the Society of General Internal Medicine's Research Mentor of the Year Award in 2013.

In addition, Dr. Walter is Director of the San Francisco VA’s Geriatrics Health Services Research and Development Program to Improve Care for Veterans with Complex Comorbid Conditions. She also is Director of Evaluation for the UCSF Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program funded by HRSA.

Education
2018 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California, San Francisco
Fellowship, 2001 - Geriatric Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Certificate, 1999 - Advanced Training in Clinical Research, University of California, San Francisco
Residency, 1998 - Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
M.D., 1995 - Medicine, Stanford University
B.S., 1990 - Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Honors and Awards
  • Recipient of Named Professorship: The Helen Hoh Wu and Laurene Wu McClain Professor of Geriatrics, UCSF, 2022
  • Elected into Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), 2019
  • Elected into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, UCSF Medical Student Class of 2016, 2016
  • Outstanding Research Mentor of the Year, Society of General Internal Medicine, 2013
  • Elected into American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), 2012
  • Academic Senate Distinction in Faculty Mentoring Award, UCSF, 2010
  • Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award, American Geriatrics Society, 2009
Publications

  1. Gutierrez RD, Smith EJT, Matthay ZA, Gasper WJ, Hiramoto JS, Conte MS, Finlayson E, Walter LC, Iannuzzi JC. Risk Factors and Associated Outcomes of Postoperative Delirium After Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair. Journal of vascular surgery 2023. PMID: 38042511


  2. Shaw NM, Breyer BN, Walter LC, Sudore RL, Suskind AM, Baussan C, Quanstrom K, Allen IE, Cooperberg MR, Dohan D, Hampson LA. How older men live with stress urinary incontinence: Patient experience and navigation to treatment. Neurourology and Urodynamics 2023. PMID: 38014566


  3. Wolf AMD, Oeffinger KC, Shih TY, Walter LC, Church TR, Fontham ETH, Elkin EB, Etzioni RD, Guerra CE, Perkins RB, Kondo KK, Kratzer TB, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Dahut WL, Smith RA. Screening for lung cancer: 2023 guideline update from the American Cancer Society. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 2023. PMID: 37909877


  4. Neumann AV, Gonzalez A, Walter LC, Rivera J. Improving older adults' telehealth through a novel community-academic partnership: Preliminary data. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2023. PMID: 37607098


  5. Schifferdecker KE, Ramesh NP, Walter LC, Calderwood AH. Multi-level Factors Influencing Decisions About Stopping Surveillance Colonoscopy in Older Adults: a Qualitative Study. Journal of general internal medicine 2023. PMID: 37225959


  6. Calderwood AH, Tosteson TD, Wang Q, Onega T, Walter LC. Association of Life Expectancy With Surveillance Colonoscopy Findings and Follow-up Recommendations in Older Adults. JAMA internal medicine 2023. PMID: 36912828


  7. Huang AJ, Walter LC, Yaffe K, Vittinghoff E, Kornblith E, Schembri M, Chang A, Subak LL. TReating Incontinence for Underlying Mental and Physical Health (TRIUMPH): a study protocol for a multicenter, double-blinded, randomized, 3-arm trial to evaluate the multisystem effects of pharmacologic treatment strategies for urgency-predominant urinar Trials 2023. PMID: 37085880


  8. Hampson LA, Shaw N, Breyer BN, Walter LC, Sudore RL, Cooperberg MR, Baussan C, Quanstrom K, Elaine Allen I, Dohan D. Patient-Identified Treatment Attributes among Older Men with Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Qualitative Look at What Matters to Patients Making Treatment Decisions. Urology 2023. PMID: 37076021


  9. Jones CP, Shaw NM, Mena J, Breyer BN, Walter LC, Baussan C, Quanstrom K, Allen IE, Dohan D, Hampson LA. The relationship between frailty, incontinence severity, and treatment decisions for men with post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence: a mixed methods analysis. Translational andrology and urology 2023. PMID: 37305619


  10. Shaw NM, Nik-Ahd F, Jones C, Breyer BN, Walter LC, Sudore R, Cooperberg MR, Baussan C, Quanstrom K, Allen IE, Hampson LA. Patient decision-making for surgical treatment of post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence: a mixed-methods exploratory pilot study. Translational andrology and urology 2023. PMID: 37305624


  11. Smith EJT, Gasper WJ, Schneider PA, Finlayson E, Walter LC, Covinsky KE, Conte MS, Iannuzzi JC. Cognitive Impairment is Common in a�Veterans Affairs Population with Peripheral Arterial Disease. Annals of vascular surgery 2022. PMID: 36581154


  12. Tsang M, Gan S, Boscardin WJ, Wong ML, Walter LC, Smith AK. The epidemiology of preexisting geriatric and palliative conditions in older adults with poor prognosis cancers. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2022. PMID: 36259424


  13. Singhal S, Walter LC, Smith AK, Loh KP, Cohen HJ, Zeng S, Shi Y, Boscardin WJ, Presley CJ, Williams GR, Magnuson A, Mohile SG, Wong ML. Change in four measures of physical function among older adults during lung cancer treatment: A mixed methods cohort study. Journal of geriatric oncology 2022. PMID: 36058839


  14. Wong ML, Nicosia FM, Smith AK, Walter LC, Lam V, Cohen HJ, Loh KP, Mohile SG, Ursem CJ, Schwarze ML. "You have to be sure that the patient has the full picture": Adaptation of the Best Case/Worst Case communication tool for geriatric oncology. 2022. PMID: 35123919


  15. Advani S, Abraham L, Buist DSM, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Sprague BL, Henderson LM, Onega T, Schousboe JT, Demb J, Zhang D, Walter LC, Lee CI, Braithwaite D, O'Meara ES, Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Breast biopsy patterns and findings among older women undergoing screening mammography: The role of age and comorbidity. 2021. PMID: 34896059


  16. Calderwood AH, Tosteson TD, Walter LC, Hua P, Onega T. Colonoscopy utilization and outcomes in older adults: Data from the New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry. 2021. PMID: 34859887


  17. Hampson LA, Suskind AM, Breyer BN, Cooperberg MR, Sudore RL, Keyhani S, Allen IE, Walter LC. Predictors of Regret Among Older Men After Stress Urinary Incontinence Treatment Decisions. 2021. PMID: 34854756


  18. Zhang D, Abraham L, Sprague BL, Onega T, Advani S, Demb J, Miglioretti DL, Henderson LM, Wernli KJ, Walter LC, Kerlikowske K, Schousboe JT, Chrischilles E, Braithwaite D, O'Meara ES, Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Mammography adherence in relation to function-related indicators in older women. 2021. PMID: 34762965


  19. Bauer SR, Walter LC, Ensrud KE, Suskind AM, Newman JC, Ricke WA, Liu TT, McVary KT, Covinsky K. Assessment of Frailty and Association With Progression of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Symptoms and Serious Adverse Events Among Men Using Drug Therapy. 2021. PMID: 34817584


  20. Wong ML, Shi Y, Smith AK, Miaskowski C, Boscardin WJ, Cohen HJ, Lam V, Mazor M, Metzger L, Presley CJ, Williams GR, Loh KP, Ursem CJ, Friedlander TW, Blakely CM, Gubens MA, Allen G, Shumay D, Walter LC. Changes in older adults' life space during lung cancer treatment: A mixed methods cohort study. 2021. PMID: 34611887


  21. Dotan E, Walter LC, Browner IS, Clifton K, Cohen HJ, Extermann M, Gross C, Gupta S, Hollis G, Hubbard J, Jagsi R, Keating NL, Kessler E, Koll T, Korc-Grodzicki B, McKoy JM, Misra S, Moon D, O'Connor T, Owusu C, Rosko A, Russell M, Sedrak M, Siddiqui F, Stella A, Stirewalt DL, Subbiah IM, Tew WP, Williams GR, Hollinger L, George GV, Sundar H. NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Older Adult Oncology, Version 1.2021. 2021. PMID: 34551388


  22. Wray CM, Vali M, Walter LC, Christensen L, Chapman W, Austin PC, Byers AL, Keyhani S. Examining the association of social risk with heart failure readmission in the Veterans Health Administration. BMC health services research 2021. PMID: 34445974


  23. Advani SM, Zhu W, Demb J, Sprague BL, Onega T, Henderson LM, Buist DSM, Zhang D, Schousboe JT, Walter LC, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Braithwaite D, Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Association of Breast Density With Breast Cancer Risk Among Women Aged 65 Years or Older by Age Group and Body Mass Index. JAMA network open 2021. PMID: 34436608


  24. Zhang D, Abraham L, Demb J, Miglioretti DL, Advani S, Sprague BL, Henderson LM, Onega T, Wernli KJ, Walter LC, Kerlikowske K, Schousboe JT, O'Meara ES, Braithwaite D, Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Function-related Indicators and Outcomes of Screening Mammography in Older Women: Evidence from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium Cohort. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology 2021. PMID: 34078641


  25. Hampson LA, Suskind AM, Breyer BN, Lai L, Cooperberg MR, Sudore RL, Keyhani S, Allen IE, Walter LC. Understanding the Health Characteristics and Treatment Choices of Older Men with Stress Urinary Incontinence. Urology 2021. PMID: 34004214


  26. Loh KP, Lam V, Webber K, Padam S, Sedrak MS, Musinipally V, Grogan M, Presley CJ, Grandi J, Sanapala C, Castillo DA, DiGiovanni G, Mohile SG, Walter LC, Wong ML. Characteristics Associated With Functional Changes During Systemic Cancer Treatments: A Systematic Review Focused on Older Adults. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2021. PMID: 33857918


  27. Chang A, Schwartz BS, Harleman E, Johnson M, Walter LC, Fernandez A. Guiding Academic Clinician Educators at Research-Intensive Institutions: a Framework for Chairs, Chiefs, and Mentors. Journal of general internal medicine 2021. PMID: 33846943


  28. Freedman RA, Minami CA, Winer EP, Morrow M, Smith AK, Walter LC, Sedrak MS, Gagnon H, Perilla-Glen A, Wildiers H, Wildes TM, Lichtman SM, Loh KP, Brain EGC, Ganschow PS, Hunt KK, Mayer DK, Ruddy KJ, Jagsi R, Lin NU, Canin B, LeStage BK, Revette AC, Schonberg MA, Keating NL. Individualizing Surveillance Mammography for Older Patients After Treatment for Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Multidisciplinary Expert Panel and International Society of Geriatric Oncology Consensus Statement. 2021. PMID: 33507222


  29. Wray CM, Vali M, Walter LC, Christensen L, Abdelrahman S, Chapman W, Keyhani S. Examining the Interfacility Variation of Social Determinants of Health in the Veterans Health Administration. Volume 38 of Issue 1. Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS 2021. PMID: 33574644


  30. Wong ML, Gao J, Thanarajasingam G, Sloan JA, Dueck AC, Novotny PJ, Jatoi A, Hurria A, Walter LC, Miaskowski C, Cohen HJ, Wood WA, Feliciano JL, Stinchcombe TE, Wang X. Expanding Beyond Maximum Grade: Chemotherapy Toxicity over Time by Age and Performance Status in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in CALGB 9730 (Alliance A151729). The oncologist 2020. PMID: 32951293


  31. Kotwal AA, Walter LC. Cancer Screening in Older Adults: Individualized Decision-Making and Communication Strategies. The Medical clinics of North America 2020. PMID: 33099456


  32. Kotwal AA, Walter LC. Cancer Screening Among Older Adults: a Geriatrician's Perspective on Breast, Cervical, Colon, Prostate, and Lung Cancer Screening. Current oncology reports 2020. PMID: 32803486


  33. Fontham ETH, Wolf AMD, Church TR, Etzioni R, Flowers CR, Herzig A, Guerra CE, Oeffinger KC, Shih YT, Walter LC, Kim JJ, Andrews KS, DeSantis CE, Fedewa SA, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Saslow D, Wender RC, Smith RA. Cervical cancer screening for individuals at average risk: 2020 guideline update from the American Cancer Society. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 2020. PMID: 32729638


  34. Zhang D, Advani S, Zhu Z, Dang L, Walter LC, Braithwaite D. Mammography use in relation to comorbidities and functional limitations among older breast cancer survivors. Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice 2020. PMID: 32720225


  35. Demb J, Abraham L, Miglioretti DL, Sprague BL, O'Meara ES, Advani S, Henderson LM, Onega T, Buist DSM, Schousboe JT, Walter LC, Kerlikowske K, Braithwaite D. Screening mammography outcomes: risk of breast cancer and mortality by comorbidity score and age. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2019. PMID: 31593591


  36. Junn A, Shukla NR, Morrison L, Halley M, Chren MM, Walter LC, Frosch DL, Matlock D, Torres JS, Linos E. Development of a patient decision aid for the management of superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in adults with a limited life expectancy. BMC medical informatics and decision making 2020. PMID: 32349762


  37. Walter L, Shrestha P, Fry R, Leury BJ, Logan A. Lipid metabolic differences in cows producing small or large milk fat globules: Fatty acid origin and degree of saturation. 2019. PMID: 31759596


  38. Carpenter CR, Mody L, Lundebjerg NE, Walter LC, Schmader KE, High K. Do what you love. Love what you do. Dr. Arti Hurria's trailblazing transdisciplinary legacy. Journal of geriatric oncology 2019. PMID: 31378641


  39. Sedrak MS, Li D, Walter LC, Mustian K, High KP, Canin B, Mohile SG, Dale W, Sun CL. Cores for geriatric oncology infrastructure in the cancer and aging research group: Biostatistics, epidemiology, and research design (the analytics core). Journal of geriatric oncology 2019. PMID: 31326391


  40. Wong ML, Lichtman SM, Morrow GR, Simmons J, Hargraves T, Gross CP, Lund JL, Lowenstein LM, Walter LC, McDermott CL, Mohile SG, Cohen HJ. Geriatric oncology health services research: Cancer and Aging Research Group Infrastructure Core. Journal of geriatric oncology 2019. PMID: 31326392


  41. Torres JM, Rudolph KE, Sofrygin O, Wong R, Walter LC, Glymour MM. Having an Adult Child in the United States, Physical Functioning, and Unmet Needs for Care Among Older Mexican Adults. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.) 2019. PMID: 30985533


  42. Wray CM, Vali M, Abraham A, Zhang A, Walter LC, Keyhani S. Validation of Administrative Measures of Social and Behavioral Risk in Veterans Affairs Medical Records. Journal of general internal medicine 2019. PMID: 30604115


  43. Kotwal AA, Walter LC, Lee SJ, Dale W. Are We Choosing Wisely? Older Adults' Cancer Screening Intentions and Recalled Discussions with Physicians About Stopping. Journal of general internal medicine 2019. PMID: 31147981


  44. Wray CM, Vali M, Walter LC, Lopez L, Austin PC, Byers A, Keyhani S. Examining the Utility of 30-day Readmission Rates and Hospital Profiling in the Veterans Health Administration. Journal of hospital medicine 2019. PMID: 30794141


  45. Conway M, Keyhani S, Christensen L, South BR, Vali M, Walter LC, Mowery DL, Abdelrahman S, Chapman WW. Moonstone: a novel natural language processing system for inferring social risk from clinical narratives. Journal of biomedical semantics 2019. PMID: 30975223


  46. Washington SL, Porten SP, Quanstrom K, Jin C, Bridge M, Finlayson E, Walter LC, Suskind AM. THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RACE AND FRAILTY IN OLDER ADULTS PRESENTING TO A NON-ONCOLOGIC UROLOGY PRACTICE. Urology 2019. PMID: 30822479


  47. Dotan E, Walter LC. The NCCN Older Adult Oncology Panel Remembers Arti Hurria. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2019. PMID: 30821699


  48. Carpenter CR, Hurria A, Lundebjerg NE, Walter LC, Mody L. Leadership Lessons: Developing Mentoring Infrastructure for GEMSSTAR Scholars. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2019. PMID: 30693945


  49. Tang V, Zhao S, Boscardin J, Sudore R, Covinsky K, Walter LC, Esserman L, Mukhtar R, Finlayson E. Functional Status and Survival After Breast Cancer Surgery in Nursing Home Residents. JAMA surgery 2018. PMID: 30167636


  50. Gibson CJ, Lisha NE, Walter LC, Huang AJ. Interpersonal trauma and aging-related genitourinary dysfunction in a national sample of older women. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2018. PMID: 30273583


  51. Wong ML, McMurry TL, Schumacher JR, Hu CY, Stukenborg GJ, Francescatti AB, Greenberg CC, Chang GJ, McKellar DP, Walter LC, Kozower BD. Comorbidity Assessment in the National Cancer Database for Patients With Surgically Resected Breast, Colorectal, or Lung Cancer (AFT-01, -02, -03). Journal of oncology practice 2018. PMID: 30207852


  52. Wong ML, Paul SM, Mastick J, Ritchie C, Steinman MA, Walter LC, Miaskowski C. Characteristics associated with physical function trajectories in older adults with cancer during chemotherapy. Journal of pain and symptom management 2018. PMID: 30144536


  53. Wong ML, Shi Y, Fung KZ, Ngo S, Elicker BM, Brown JK, Hiatt RA, Tang VL, Walter LC. Age, comorbidity, life expectancy, and pulmonary nodule follow-up in older veterans. PloS one 2018. PMID: 30044854


  54. Yang E, Lisha NE, Walter L, Obedin-Maliver J, Huang AJ. Urinary Incontinence in a National Cohort of Older Women: Implications for Caregiving and Care Dependence. Journal of women's health (2002) 2018. PMID: 29902123


  55. Wolf AMD, Fontham ETH, Church TR, Flowers CR, Guerra CE, LaMonte SJ, Etzioni R, McKenna MT, Oeffinger KC, Shih YT, Walter LC, Andrews KS, Brawley OW, Brooks D, Fedewa SA, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Siegel RL, Wender RC, Smith RA. Colorectal cancer screening for average-risk adults: 2018 guideline update from the American Cancer Society. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 2018. PMID: 29846947


  56. Shi Y, Fung KZ, John Boscardin W, Ngo S, Freedland SJ, Wong ML, Walter LC. Individualizing PSA Monitoring Among Older Prostate Cancer Survivors. Journal of general internal medicine 2018. PMID: 29417461


  57. Braithwaite D, Miglioretti DL, Zhu W, Demb J, Trentham-Dietz A, Sprague B, Tice JA, Onega T, Henderson LM, Buist DSM, Ziv E, Walter LC, Kerlikowske K. Family History and Breast Cancer Risk Among Older Women in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium Cohort. JAMA internal medicine 2018. PMID: 29435563


  58. Suskind AM, Zhao S, Walter LC, Boscardin WJ, Finlayson E. Mortality and Functional Outcomes After Minor Urological Surgery in Nursing Home Residents: A National Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2018. PMID: 29572851


  59. Partin MR, Gravely AA, Burgess JF, Haggstrom DA, Lillie SE, Nelson DB, Nugent SM, Shaukat A, Sultan S, Walter LC, Burgess DJ. Contribution of patient, physician, and environmental factors to demographic and health variation in colonoscopy follow-up for abnormal colorectal cancer screening test results. Cancer 2017. PMID: 28493543


  60. Suskind AM, Quanstrom K, Zhao S, Bridge M, Walter LC, Neuhaus J, Finlayson E. Overactive Bladder Is Strongly Associated With Frailty in Older Individuals. Volume 106. Urology 2017. PMID: 28502833


  61. Pangilinan J, Quanstrom K, Bridge M, Walter LC, Finlayson E, Suskind AM. The Timed Up and Go Test as a Measure of Frailty in Urologic Practice. Volume 106. Urology 2017. PMID: 28477941


  62. Wong ML, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Dunn LB, Hammer MJ, Conley YP, Wright F, Levine JD, Walter LC, Cartwright F, Miaskowski C. Predictors of the multidimensional symptom experience of lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer 2017. PMID: 28160076


  63. Suskind AM, Jin C, Walter LC, Finlayson E. Frailty and the Role of Obliterative versus Reconstructive Surgery for Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A National Study. Volume 197 of Issue 6. The Journal of urology 2016. PMID: 27939512


  64. Suskind AM, Walter LC, Zhao S, Finlayson E. Functional Outcomes After Transurethral Resection of the Prostate in Nursing Home Residents. Volume 65 of Issue 4. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2016. PMID: 27918098


  65. Wong ML, McMurry TL, Stukenborg GJ, Francescatti AB, Amato-Martz C, Schumacher JR, Chang GJ, Greenberg CC, Winchester DP, McKellar DP, Walter LC, Kozower BD. Impact of age and comorbidity on treatment of non-small cell lung cancer recurrence following complete resection: A nationally representative cohort study. Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 2016. PMID: 27987578


  66. VanderWalde N, Jagsi R, Dotan E, Baumgartner J, Browner IS, Burhenn P, Cohen HJ, Edil BH, Edwards B, Extermann M, Ganti AK, Gross C, Hubbard J, Keating NL, Korc-Grodzicki B, McKoy JM, Medeiros BC, Mrozek E, O'Connor T, Rugo HS, Rupper RW, Shepard D, Silliman RA, Stirewalt DL, Tew WP, Walter LC, Wildes T, Bergman MA, Sundar H, Hurria A. NCCN Guidelines Insights: Older Adult Oncology, Version 2.2016. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2016. PMID: 27799507


  67. Ko MS, Fung KZ, Shi Y, Espaldon R, Shergill A, Walter LC. Barrett's Esophagus Commonly Diagnosed in Elderly Men with Limited Life Expectancy. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2016. PMID: 27685424


  68. Suskind AM, Finlayson E, Walter LC. Author Reply. Volume 97. Urology 2016. PMID: 27492666


  69. Suskind AM, Jin C, Cooperberg MR, Finlayson E, Boscardin WJ, Sen S, Walter LC. Preoperative Frailty Is Associated With Discharge to Skilled or Assisted Living Facilities After Urologic Procedures of Varying Complexity. Volume 97. Urology 2016. PMID: 27392651


  70. MacKintosh FR, Sprenkle PC, Walter LC, Rawson L, Karnes RJ, Morrell CH, Kattan MW, Nawaf CB, Neville TB. Age and Prostate-Specific Antigen Level Prior to Diagnosis Predict Risk of Death from Prostate Cancer. Frontiers in oncology 2016. PMID: 27446803


  71. Tang VL, Shi Y, Fung K, Tan J, Espaldon R, Sudore R, Wong ML, Walter LC. Clinician Factors Associated With Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening in Older Veterans With Limited Life Expectancy. Volume 176 of Issue 5. JAMA internal medicine 2016. PMID: 27042937


  72. Breslau ES, Gorin SS, Edwards HM, Schonberg MA, Saiontz N, Walter LC. An Individualized Approach to Cancer Screening Decisions in Older Adults: A Multilevel Framework. Journal of general internal medicine 2016. PMID: 26941042


  73. Braithwaite D, Walter LC, Izano M, Kerlikowske K. Benefits and Harms of Screening Mammography by Comorbidity and Age: A Qualitative Synthesis of Observational Studies and Decision Analyses. Journal of general internal medicine 2016. PMID: 26831305


  74. Suskind AM, Walter LC, Jin C, Boscardin J, Sen S, Cooperberg MR, Finlayson E. Impact of frailty on complications in patients undergoing common urological procedures: a study from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement database. Volume 117 of Issue 5. BJU international 2016. PMID: 26691588


  75. Oeffinger KC, Fontham ET, Etzioni R, Herzig A, Michaelson JS, Shih YC, Walter LC, Church TR, Flowers CR, LaMonte SJ, Wolf AM, DeSantis C, Lortet-Tieulent J, Andrews K, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Saslow D, Smith RA, Brawley OW, Wender R. Breast Cancer Screening for Women at Average Risk: 2015 Guideline Update From the American Cancer Society. JAMA 2015. PMID: 26501536


  76. Perissinotto CM, Walter LC. Capsule Commentary on Wolff, et al., A Look at Person- and Family-Centered Care Among Older Adults: Results from a National Survey. Journal of general internal medicine 2015. PMID: 26001544


  77. Duralde ER, Walter LC, Van Den Eeden SK, Nakagawa S, Subak LL, Brown JS, Thom DH, Huang AJ. Bridging the gap: determinants of undiagnosed or untreated urinary incontinence in women. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2015. PMID: 26348382


  78. Hoffman RM, Shi Y, Freedland SJ, Keating NL, Walter LC. Treatment patterns for older veterans with localized prostate cancer. Cancer epidemiology 2015. PMID: 26228494


  79. Lewis CL, Adams J, Tai-Seale M, Huang Q, Knowles SB, Nielsen ME, Pignone MP, Walter LC, Frosch DL. A Randomized Controlled Effectiveness Trial for PSA Screening Decision Support Interventions in Two Primary Care Settings. Journal of general internal medicine 2015. PMID: 25666221


  80. Huang AJ, Gregorich SE, Kuppermann M, Nakagawa S, Van Den Eeden SK, Brown JS, Richter HE, Walter LC, Thom D, Stewart AL. Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging questionnaire: a multidimensional measure of the impact of vaginal symptoms on functioning and well-being in postmenopausal women. Menopause (New York, N.Y.) 2015. PMID: 24983271


  81. Hsu A, Nakagawa S, Walter LC, Van Den Eeden SK, Brown JS, Thom DH, Lee SJ, Huang AJ. The burden of nocturia among middle-aged and older women. Volume 125 of Issue 1. Obstetrics and gynecology 2015. PMID: 25560101


  82. Partin MR, Burgess DJ, Burgess JF, Gravely A, Haggstrom D, Lillie SE, Nugent S, Powell AA, Shaukat A, Walter LC, Nelson DB. Organizational predictors of colonoscopy follow-up for positive fecal occult blood test results: an observational study. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology 2014. PMID: 25471345


  83. Shi Y, Boscardin WJ, Walter LC. Reply: To PMID 25443902. Urology 2014. PMID: 25443904


  84. Shi Y, Fung KZ, Freedland SJ, Hoffman RM, Tang VL, Walter LC. Statin medications are associated with a lower probability of having an abnormal screening prostate-specific antigen result. Urology 2014. PMID: 25443902


  85. Lee SJ, Leipzig RM, Walter LC. Lag time to benefit for preventive therapies--reply. Volume 311 of Issue 15. JAMA 2014. PMID: 24737375


  86. Walter LC, Schonberg MA. Screening mammography in older women: a review. JAMA 2014. PMID: 24691609


  87. Uhlig K, Leff B, Kent D, Dy S, Brunnhuber K, Burgers JS, Greenfield S, Guyatt G, High K, Leipzig R, Mulrow C, Schmader K, Schunemann H, Walter LC, Woodcock J, Boyd CM. A framework for crafting clinical practice guidelines that are relevant to the care and management of people with multimorbidity. Journal of general internal medicine 2014. PMID: 24442332


  88. Espaldon R, Kirby KA, Fung KZ, Hoffman RM, Powell AA, Freedland SJ, Walter LC. Probability of an abnormal screening prostate-specific antigen result based on age, race, and prostate-specific antigen threshold. Urology 2014. PMID: 24439009


  89. Hurria A, Wildes T, Blair SL, Browner IS, Cohen HJ, Deshazo M, Dotan E, Edil BH, Extermann M, Ganti AK, Holmes HM, Jagsi R, Karlekar MB, Keating NL, Korc-Grodzicki B, McKoy JM, Medeiros BC, Mrozek E, O'Connor T, Rugo HS, Rupper RW, Silliman RA, Stirewalt DL, Tew WP, Walter LC, Weir AB, Bergman MA, Sundar H. Senior adult oncology, version 2.2014: clinical practice guidelines in oncology . Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2014. PMID: 24453295


  90. Lee SJ, Leipzig RM, Walter LC. Incorporating lag time to benefit into prevention decisions for older adults. Volume 310 of Issue 24. JAMA 2013. PMID: 24322396


  91. Smith AK, Walter LC, Miao Y, Boscardin WJ, Covinsky KE. Disability during the last two years of life. JAMA internal medicine 2013. PMID: 23836120


  92. Linos E, Wehner MR, Frosch DL, Walter L, Chren MM. Patient-reported problems after office procedures. JAMA internal medicine 2013. PMID: 23689235


  93. Walter LC, Fung KZ, Kirby KA, Shi Y, Espaldon R, O'Brien S, Freedland SJ, Powell AA, Hoffman RM. Five-year downstream outcomes following prostate-specific antigen screening in older men. JAMA internal medicine 2013. PMID: 23588999


  94. Schonberg MA, Walter LC. Talking about stopping cancer screening-not so easy. JAMA internal medicine 2013. PMID: 23479053


  95. Thai JN, Walter LC, Eng C, Smith AK. Every patient is an individual: clinicians balance individual factors when discussing prognosis with diverse frail elderly adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2013. PMID: 23320808


  96. Wender R, Fontham ET, Barrera E, Colditz GA, Church TR, Ettinger DS, Etzioni R, Flowers CR, Gazelle GS, Kelsey DK, LaMonte SJ, Michaelson JS, Oeffinger KC, Shih YC, Sullivan DC, Travis W, Walter L, Wolf AM, Brawley OW, Smith RA. American Cancer Society lung cancer screening guidelines. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 2013. PMID: 23315954


  97. Lee SJ, Boscardin WJ, Stijacic-Cenzer I, Conell-Price J, O'Brien S, Walter LC. Time lag to benefit after screening for breast and colorectal cancer: meta-analysis of survival data from the United States, Sweden, United Kingdom, and Denmark. BMJ (Clinical research ed.) 2013. PMID: 23299842


  98. Eckstrom E, Feeny DH, Walter LC, Perdue LA, Whitlock EP. Individualizing cancer screening in older adults: a narrative review and framework for future research. Journal of general internal medicine 2012. PMID: 23054920


  99. Williams BA, Goodwin JS, Baillargeon J, Ahalt C, Walter LC. Addressing the aging crisis in U.S. criminal justice health care. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2012. PMID: 22642489


  100. Freedland SJ, Walter LC. 80 is the new 60: implications of irrational exuberance regarding longevity on prostate cancer treatment decisions. Journal of general internal medicine 2012. PMID: 22328015


  101. Wang S, Wong ML, Hamilton N, Davoren JB, Jahan TM, Walter LC. Impact of age and comorbidity on non-small-cell lung cancer treatment in older veterans. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2012. PMID: 22454424


  102. Hurria A, Browner IS, Cohen HJ, Denlinger CS, deShazo M, Extermann M, Ganti AK, Holland JC, Holmes HM, Karlekar MB, Keating NL, McKoy J, Medeiros BC, Mrozek E, O'Connor T, Petersdorf SH, Rugo HS, Silliman RA, Tew WP, Walter LC, Weir AB, Wildes T. Senior adult oncology. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2012. PMID: 22308515


  103. Dinh TA, Alperin P, Walter LC, Smith R. Impact of comorbidity on colorectal cancer screening cost-effectiveness study in diabetic populations. Journal of general internal medicine 2012. PMID: 22237663


  104. So C, Kirby KA, Mehta K, Hoffman RM, Powell AA, Freedland SJ, Sirovich B, Yano EM, Walter LC. Medical center characteristics associated with PSA screening in elderly veterans with limited life expectancy. Journal of general internal medicine 2011. PMID: 22180196


  105. Walter LC. What is the right cancer screening rate for older adults. Archives of internal medicine 2011. PMID: 22158574


  106. Walter LC. Health services research is translational: lessons learned from VHA-funded research on cancer screening in older adults. Translational behavioral medicine 2011. PMID: 24073078


  107. Ahalt C, Walter LC, Yourman L, Eng C, Pérez-Stable EJ, Smith AK. "Knowing is better": preferences of diverse older adults for discussing prognosis. Journal of general internal medicine 2011. PMID: 22127798


  108. Lee SJ, Walter LC. Quality indicators for older adults: preventing unintended harms. Volume 306 of Issue 13. JAMA 2011. PMID: 21972311


  109. Day LW, Kwon A, Inadomi JM, Walter LC, Somsouk M. Adverse events in older patients undergoing colonoscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Volume 74 of Issue 4. Gastrointestinal endoscopy 2011. PMID: 21951478


  110. Pham AN, Datta SK, Weber TJ, Walter LC, Colón-Emeric CS. Cost-effectiveness of oral bisphosphonates for osteoporosis at different ages and levels of life expectancy. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2011. PMID: 21883116


  111. Huang AJ, Brown JS, Boyko EJ, Moore EE, Scholes D, Walter LC, Lin F, Vittinghoff E, Fihn SD. Clinical significance of postvoid residual volume in older ambulatory women. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2011. PMID: 21806559


  112. Mehta KM, Pierluissi E, Boscardin WJ, Kirby KA, Walter LC, Chren MM, Palmer RM, Counsell SR, Landefeld CS. A clinical index to stratify hospitalized older adults according to risk for new-onset disability. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2011. PMID: 21649616


  113. Kistler CE, Kirby KA, Lee D, Casadei MA, Walter LC. Long-term outcomes following positive fecal occult blood test results in older adults: benefits and burdens. Archives of internal medicine 2011. PMID: 21555655


  114. Day LW, Walter LC, Velayos F. Colorectal cancer screening and surveillance in the elderly patient. The American journal of gastroenterology 2011. PMID: 21519362


  115. Carlson CM, Kirby KA, Casadei MA, Partin MR, Kistler CE, Walter LC. Lack of follow-up after fecal occult blood testing in older adults: inappropriate screening or failure to follow up? Volume 171 of Issue 3. Archives of internal medicine 2010. PMID: 20937917


  116. Kistler CE, Walter LC, Mitchell CM, Sloane PD. Patient perceptions of mistakes in ambulatory care. Archives of internal medicine 2010. PMID: 20837835


  117. Chang A, Walter LC. Recognizing dementia as a terminal illness in nursing home residents: Comment on "Survival and comfort after treatment of pneumonia in advanced dementia". Archives of internal medicine 2010. PMID: 20625014


  118. Mehta KM, Fung KZ, Kistler CE, Chang A, Walter LC. Impact of cognitive impairment on screening mammography use in older US women. American journal of public health 2010. PMID: 20075325


  119. Hoffman RM, Walter LC. Colorectal cancer screening in the elderly: the need for informed decision making. Journal of general internal medicine 2009. PMID: 19798537


  120. Kao H, Walter LC. Improvement of hospital care of elderly patients: thinking outside the (hospital) box: comment on "hospital at home for elderly patients with acute decompensation of chronic heart failure". Volume 169 of Issue 17. Archives of internal medicine 2009. PMID: 19786676


  121. Williams BA, Baillargeon JG, Lindquist K, Walter LC, Covinsky KE, Whitson HE, Steinman MA. Medication prescribing practices for older prisoners in the Texas prison system. American journal of public health 2009. PMID: 19762661


  122. Williams BA, Lindquist K, Hill T, Baillargeon J, Mellow J, Greifinger R, Walter LC. Caregiving behind bars: correctional officer reports of disability in geriatric prisoners. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2009. PMID: 19582902


  123. Walter LC, Lindquist K, Nugent S, Schult T, Lee SJ, Casadei MA, Partin MR. Impact of age and comorbidity on colorectal cancer screening among older veterans. Volume 150 of Issue 7. Annals of internal medicine 2009. PMID: 19349631


  124. Schane RE, Walter LC, Dinno A, Covinsky KE, Woodruff PG. Prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of general internal medicine 2008. PMID: 18690488


  125. Williams BA, Lindquist K, Sudore RL, Covinsky KE, Walter LC. Screening mammography in older women. Effect of wealth and prognosis. Volume 168 of Issue 5. Archives of internal medicine 2008. PMID: 18332298


  126. Carey EC, Covinsky KE, Lui LY, Eng C, Sands LP, Walter LC. Prediction of mortality in community-living frail elderly people with long-term care needs. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2007. PMID: 18031487


  127. Walter LC, Lewis CL. Maximizing informed cancer screening decisions. Archives of internal medicine 2007. PMID: 17954794


  128. O'Hare AM, Choi AI, Bertenthal D, Bacchetti P, Garg AX, Kaufman JS, Walter LC, Mehta KM, Steinman MA, Allon M, McClellan WM, Landefeld CS. Age affects outcomes in chronic kidney disease. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN 2007. PMID: 17855638


  129. Lee SJ, Moody-Ayers SY, Landefeld CS, Walter LC, Lindquist K, Segal MR, Covinsky KE. The relationship between self-rated health and mortality in older black and white Americans. Volume 55 of Issue 10. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2007. PMID: 17697102


  130. O'Hare AM, Bertenthal D, Walter LC, Garg AX, Covinsky K, Kaufman JS, Rodriguez RA, Allon M. When to refer patients with chronic kidney disease for vascular access surgery: should age be a consideration? Kidney international 2007. PMID: 17245396


  131. Steinman MA, Maaravi Y, Walter LC, Hammerman-Rozenberg R, Stessman J. Evolution of medication use in Jerusalem elders: Results from the Jerusalem Longitudinal Study. Drugs & aging 2007. PMID: 17313201


  132. Walter LC, Bertenthal D, Lindquist K, Konety BR. PSA screening among elderly men with limited life expectancies. JAMA 2006. PMID: 17105796


  133. Williams BA, Lindquist K, Moody-Ayers SY, Walter LC, Covinsky KE. Functional impairment, race, and family expectations of death. Volume 54 of Issue 11. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2006. PMID: 17087694


  134. Gupta S, Vittinghoff E, Bertenthal D, Corley D, Shen H, Walter LC, McQuaid K. New-onset diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Volume 4 of Issue 11. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association 2006. PMID: 16945591


  135. Lewis CL, Kistler CE, Amick HR, Watson LC, Bynum DL, Walter LC, Pignone MP. Older adults' attitudes about continuing cancer screening later in life: a pilot study interviewing residents of two continuing care communities. BMC geriatrics 2006. PMID: 16887040


  136. Walter LC, Lindquist K, O'Hare AM, Johansen KL. Targeting screening mammography according to life expectancy among women undergoing dialysis. Archives of internal medicine 2006. PMID: 16772248


  137. Williams BA, Lindquist K, Sudore RL, Strupp HM, Willmott DJ, Walter LC. Being old and doing time: functional impairment and adverse experiences of geriatric female prisoners. Volume 54 of Issue 4. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2006. PMID: 16686886


  138. Kistler CE, Lewis CL, Amick HR, Bynum DL, Walter LC, Watson LC. Older adults' beliefs about physician-estimated life expectancy: a cross-sectional survey. BMC family practice 2006. PMID: 16472399


  139. O'Hare AM, Bertenthal D, Covinsky KE, Landefeld CS, Sen S, Mehta K, Steinman MA, Borzecki A, Walter LC. Mortality risk stratification in chronic kidney disease: one size for all ages? Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN 2006. PMID: 16452492


  140. Walter LC, Lewis CL, Barton MB. Screening for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer in the elderly: a review of the evidence. The American journal of medicine 2005. PMID: 16194635


  141. Carey EC, Walter LC, Lindquist K, Covinsky KE. Development and validation of a functional morbidity index to predict mortality in community-dwelling elders. Journal of general internal medicine 2004. PMID: 15482555


  142. Walter LC, Davidowitz NP, Heineken PA, Covinsky KE. Pitfalls of converting practice guidelines into quality measures: lessons learned from a VA performance measure. JAMA 2004. PMID: 15161897


  143. Walter LC, Lindquist K, Covinsky KE. Relationship between health status and use of screening mammography and Papanicolaou smears among women older than 70 years of age. Annals of internal medicine 2004. PMID: 15126251


  144. Walter LC, de Garmo P, Covinsky KE. Association of older age and female sex with inadequate reach of screening flexible sigmoidoscopy. The American journal of medicine 2004. PMID: 14749161


  145. Walter LC, Lui LY, Eng C, Covinsky KE. Risk of hip fracture in disabled community-living older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2003. PMID: 12534845


  146. Covinsky KE, Eng C, Lui LY, Sands LP, Sehgal AR, Walter LC, Wieland D, Eleazer GP, Yaffe K. Reduced employment in caregivers of frail elders: impact of ethnicity, patient clinical characteristics, and caregiver characteristics. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 2001. PMID: 11682579


  147. Walter LC, Eng C, Covinsky KE. Screening mammography for frail older women: what are the burdens? Journal of general internal medicine 2001. PMID: 11722693


  148. Walter LC, Brand RJ, Counsell SR, Palmer RM, Landefeld CS, Fortinsky RH, Covinsky KE. Development and validation of a prognostic index for 1-year mortality in older adults after hospitalization. JAMA 2001. PMID: 11410097


  149. Walter LC, Covinsky KE. Cancer screening in elderly patients: a framework for individualized decision making. JAMA 2001. PMID: 11386931


  150. Covinsky KE, Palmer RM, Counsell SR, Pine ZM, Walter LC, Chren MM. Functional status before hospitalization in acutely ill older adults: validity and clinical importance of retrospective reports. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2000. PMID: 10682945


  151. Bekesi JG, St Arneault G, Walter L, Holland JF. Immunogenicity of leukemia L1210 cells after neuraminidase treatment. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1972. PMID: 4338766