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Associate Professor Judy KirkAssociate Professor Judy Kirk

Familial Cancer Research Group

A/Prof Kirk gained her medical degree at Sydney University in 1980. She originally trained in paediatric oncology, obtaining her Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1987. From 1991, A/Prof Kirk spent three years working in the field of cancer genetics at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, USA. In 1995, A/Prof Kirk was appointed as staff specialist in Cancer Genetics at Westmead Hospital.

A/Prof Kirk is the Director of the Familial Cancer Service, a service that provides genetic counselling and testing for families with a strong family history of cancer.


Research Interests

 

A/Prof Kirk participates in local and national research regarding the familial aspects of cancer.

 

Her research activities include both laboratory and clinical issues focussed on improving the methodologies used to detect gene mutations in women with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer and understanding the relationship between carrying such mutatuion and the risk of breast cancer.

 

She is also on the executive of KconFab, a national consortium for research into familial breast cancer. The study is expected to lead to better preventative and treatment methods for familial breast cancer.

 

 

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Publications

 

- 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000 -

 

2007

  • Featherstone C, Coley A, Tucker K., Kirk J, Barton MB Estimating the referral rate for genetics assessment from a systematic review of the evidence Br J Cancer 96:391-398, 2007
  • Claire E. Wakefield1,2,3 , Bettina Meiser2,3 , Judi Homewood1 , Michelle Peate2 , Alan Taylor1 , Elizabeth Lobb4 , J. Kirk, Mary-Anne Young6 , Rachel Williams7 , Tracy Dudding8 , Kathy Tucker2,9 and the AGenDA Collaborative Group^* . A randomized controlled trial of a decision aid for women considering genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer risk" accepted Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 2007.
  • Field M, Shanley S, Kirk J. Inherited cancer susceptibility syndromes in paediatric practice. (JPC-0087-2006) Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 42:219-229, 2007.
  • Claire E Wakefield, Nadine A Kasparian, Bettina Meiser, Judi Homewood^, Judy Kirk, Kathy Tucker^, Attitudes toward genetic
    testing for cancer risk after genetic counseling and decision support: A qualitative comparison between hereditary cancer types Accepted Genetic testing 2007.

2006

  • Balleine, R, Murali, R, Bilous, A, Farshid, G, Waring, P, Provan, P, Byth, K, Thorne, H, , K, Kirk, J. Histopathological features of breast cancer in carriers of ATM gene variants. Histopathology. 2006; 49:523-32 [Abstract]

  • Kang, H, Williams, R, Leary, J, Ringland, C, Kirk, J, Ward, R. Evaluation of models to predict BRCA germline mutations. British journal of cancer. 2006; 95:914-20 [Abstract]

  • Kirk, J. How can we best detect hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer?. Medical Journal of Australia. 2006; 184:206-207 [Abstract]

  • Antill, Y, Reynolds, J, Young, M, Kirk, J, Tucker, K, Bogtstra, T, Wong, S, Dudding, T, Di Iulio, J, Phillips, K. Risk-reducing surgery in women with familial susceptibility for breast and/or ovarian cancer. European Journal of Cancer. 2006; 42:621-628 [Abstract]

  • Kirk, J, Brennan, M, Houssami, N, Ung, O. An approach to the patient with a family history of breast cancer. Australian family physician. 2006; 35:43-7 [Abstract]

  • Mann, G, Thorne, H, Balleine, R, Butow, P, Clarke, C, Edkins, E, Evans, G, Fereday, S, Haan, E, Gattas, M, Giles, G, Goldblatt, J, Hopper, J, Kirk, J, Leary, J, Lindeman, G, Niedermayr, E, Phillips, K, Picken, S, Pupo, G, Saunders, C, Scott, C, Spurdle, A, Suthers, G, Tucker, K, Chenevix-Trench, G, , K. Analysis of cancer risk and BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation prevalence in the kConFab familial breast cancer resource. Breast cancer research : BCR. 2006; 8:R12 [Abstract]

  • Tiller, K, Meiser, B, Gaff, C, Kirk, J, Dudding, T, Phillips, K, Friedlander, M, Tucker, K. A randomized controlled trial of a decision aid for women at increased risk of ovarian cancer. Medical decision making : an international journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making. 2006; 26:360-72 [Abstract]
  • Wakefield,.C. E, Meiser, B., Homewood, J., Peate, M., *Kirk,* J., Warner, B, Lobb, E, Gaff, C., Tucker, K. (Submitted). Development and pilot testing of two decision aids for individuals considering genetic testing for cancer risk. Submitted to Journal of Genetic Counseling, 28th April, 2006, manuscript number: JOGC-180 Accepted Sept 2006.
  • Jenkins MA, Macrae F, Young J, Barker M, Leggett B, Goldblatt J, *Kirk J*, Tucker K, Suthers G, Young G, Parry S, Arnold J, Winship I, Maskiell J, Giles G, Jass J, Hopper J. The Colon Cancer Family Registry, an international resource for studying the genetic and molecular epidemiology of colorectal cancer. /Gastrointestinal Cancer Update /2006;46:14-20
  • Lobb, EA, Butow, PN, Moore, A., Barratt, A., Tucker, K., *Kirk, J*., Dudding, T., Butt, D. "Development of a communication aid to facilitate risk communication in consultations with women from high risk breast cancer families: A Pilot Study" Journal of Genetic Counseling, 15(5); 393-405 October, 2006.

2005

  • Hitchins, M, Williams, R, Cheong, K, Halani, N, Lin, V, Packham, D, Ku, S, Buckle, A, Hawkins, N, Burn, J, Gallinger, S, Goldblatt, J, Kirk, J, Tomlinson, I, Scott, R, Spigelman, A, Suter, C, Martin, D, Suthers, G, Ward, R. MLH1 germline epimutations as a factor in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Gastroenterology. 2005; 129:1392-9 [Abstract]

  • Brennan, M, French, J, Houssami, N, Kirk, J, Boyages, J. Breast cancer in young women. Australian family physician. 2005; 34:851-5 [Abstract]

  • Kairupan, C, Meldrum, C, Crooks, R, Milward, E, Spigelman, A, Burgess, B, Groombridge, C, Kirk, J, Tucker, K, Ward, R, Williams, R, Scott, R. Mutation analysis of the MYH gene in an Australian series of colorectal polyposis patients with or without germline APC mutations. International journal of cancer. Journal international du cancer. 2005; 116:73-7 [Abstract]

  • Woodward, A, Davis, T, Silva, A, Kirk, J, Leary, J, , K. Large genomic rearrangements of both BRCA2 and BRCA1 are a feature of the inherited breast/ovarian cancer phenotype in selected families. Journal of medical genetics. 2005; 42:e31 [Abstract]

  • Weir, L, Spigelman, A, Scott, R, Kirk, J, Zeckendorf, S, Sitas, F. The NSW & ACT Hereditary Cancer Registers. Australian family physician. 2005; 34:53-8 [Abstract]

  • Mitchell, G, Antill, Y, Murray, W, Kirk, J, Salisbury, E, Lindeman, G, Di Iulio, J, Milner, A, Devereaux, L, Phillips, K. Nipple aspiration and ductal lavage in women with a germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Breast cancer research: BCR. 2005; 7:R1122-31 [Abstract]

2004

  • Mote, P, Leary, J, Avery, K, Sandelin, K, Chenevix-Trench, G, Kirk, J, Clarke, C, , K. Germ-line mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 in the normal breast are associated with altered expression of estrogen-responsive proteins and the predominance of progesterone receptor A. Genes, chromosomes & cancer. 2004; 39:236-48 [Abstract]

  • Lindeman, G, Hiew, M, Visvader, J, Leary, J, Field, M, Gaff, C, Gardner, R, Trainor, K, Cheetham, G, Suthers, G, Kirk, J. Frequency of the ATM IVS10-6T-->G variant in Australian multiple-case breast cancer families. Breast cancer research : BCR. 2004; 6:R401-7 [Abstract]

2003

  • Tiller, K, Reeson, E, Tucker, M, Andrews, L, Gaffs, C, Kirk, J, Phillips, K, Friedlander, M, Meiser, B. A decision aid for women at increased risk for ovarian cancer. International Journal Of Gynecological Cancer. 2003; 13:15-22

  • Fisher, T, Kirk, J, Hopper, J, Godding, R, Burgemeister, F. A simple tool for identifying unaffected women at a moderately increased or potentially high risk of breast cancer based on their family history. Breast. 2003; 12:120-127

  • Shannon, C, Kirk, J, Barnetson, R, Evans, J, Schnitzler, M, Quinn, M, Backer, N, Crandon, A, Harnett, P. Incidence of microsatellite instability in synchronous tumors of the ovary and endometrium. Clinical Cancer Research. 2003; 9:1387-1392

  • Hallett, K, Cameron, A, Widmer, R, King, P, Kilpatrick, N, Wilson, M, Lucas, J, Wong, P, Mekertichian, K, Raphael, S, Isaacs, D, Kirk, J, Kakakios, A, O'flaherty, S. Medically compromised children. In: Handbook of Pediatric Dentistry, Second Editions. Australia: Masby 2003. p. 234-286.

  • Lobb, E, Butow, P, Meiser, B, Barratt, A, Gaff, C, Young, M, Kirk, J, Gattas, M, Gleeson, M, Tucker, K. Women's preferences and consultants' communication of risk in consultations about familial breast cancer: impact on patient outcomes. Journal Of Medical Genetics. 2003; 40:e56:1-8

2002

  • Chenevix-Trench, G, Spurdle, A, Gatei, M, Kelly, H, Marsh, A, Chen, X, Donn, K, Cummings, M, Nyholt, D, Jenkins, M, Scott, C, Pupo, G, D?rk, T, Bendix, R, Kirk, J, Tucker, K, McCredie, M, Hopper, J, Sambrook, J, Mann, G, Khanna, K. Dominant Negative ATM Mutations in Breast Cancer Families. Journal Of The National Cancer Institute. 2002; 94:205-215
  • Lobb, E, Butow, P, Meiser, B, Barratt, A, Gaff, C, Young, M, Kirk, J, Suthers, G, Tucker, P. Tailoring communication in consultations with women from high risk breast cancer families. British Journal Of Cancer. 2002; 87:502-508
  • Lobb, E, Butow, P, Meiser, B, Barratt, A, Kirk, J, Gattas, M, Haan, E, Tucker, P. The use of audiotapes in consultations with women from high risk breast cancer families: a randomised trial. Journal Of Medical Genetics. 2002; 39:697-703

2001

  • Scott, R, Meldrum, C, Crooks, R, Spigelman, A, Kirk, J, Tucker, K, Koorey, D, Hunter Family Cancer Service, T. Familial adenomatous polyposis: more evidence for disease diversity and genetic heterogeneity. Gut. 2001; 2:22-32

  • Randall, J, Butow, P, Kirk, J, Tucker, K. Psychological impact of genetic counselling and testing in women previously diagnosed with breast cancer. International Medical Journal. 2001; 1:1534-1541

2000

  • Meiser, B, Butow, P, Barratt, A, Friedlander, M, Kirk, J, Gaff, C, Haan, E, Aittomaki, K, Tucker, K. Breast cancer screening uptake in women at increased risk of developing hereditary breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research & Treatment. 2000; 59:101-111

  • Meiser, B, Butow, P, Barratt, A, Friedlander, M, Kirk, J, Gaff, C, Hann, E, Aittomaki, K, Tucker, K. Breast cancer screening uptake in women at increased risk of developing heriditary breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research & Treatment. 2000; 59:101-111

  • Meiser, B, Butow, P, Friedlander, M, Schnieden, V, Gattas, M, Kirk, J, Suthers, G, Haan, E, Tucker, K. Intention to undergo prophylastic bilateral mastectomy in women at increased risk of developing hereditary breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2000; 18:2250-2257

 

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Contact Details

T +61 2 9845 6947

F +61 2 9845 9217

E judy_kirk@wmi.usyd.edu.au

 

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