Kylie Minogue has been diagnosed with breast cancer, her tour management company announced today.
The singer, who will be 37 later this month, cancelled her sell-out tour of Australia after the diagnosis, her touring company said. She has also cancelled her headline appearance at the Glastonbury festival next month.
In a statement, Minogue said: "I was so looking forward to bringing the Showgirl tour to Australian audiences and am sorry to have to disappoint my fans. Nevertheless, hopefully all will work out fine and I'll be back with you all again soon."
Her management said the diagnosis was confirmed this week during a visit to Melbourne. In a statement, it said: "Whilst at home in Melbourne with her family this week prior to her Australian Showgirl Tour, Kylie was diagnosed with early breast cancer. She will undergo immediate treatment and consequently her Australian tour will not be able to proceed as planned."
Minogue has already taken the Showgirl tour around the UK and Europe. She was due to perform in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth over the next month.
The singer has worked to raise money for breast cancer over recent years and has regularly worked to publicise Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One of her skimpiest bras was sold at auction for a record £2,400 three years ago for Breast Cancer Care.
Today fans left dozens of get well messages on the talkboards of her official website.
"I wish you a speedy recovery, and I will pray for you and your family at this difficult time. I know that you will be ok and you have the strength to get through this," said one typical posting.
The causes of breast cancer are not yet completely understood, but the risk of developing it is very small in young women and increases with age. More than half of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 65, and between 5% and 10% of breast cancers are caused by inherited genes, according to the CancerBACUP charity.
About one in nine women in the UK will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Most breast cancers will be treated with surgery to remove the tumour.
Minogue first shot to stardom playing mechanic Charlene Mitchell in the Australian TV soap Neighbours. Her girl-next-door image came to the attention of pop svengali Pete Waterman, who produced a number of smash hits for her, including I Should Be So Lucky and Especially For You - the romantic ballad she sang with former boyfriend and Neighbours co-star Jason Donovan.
In 1990, Minogue reinvented herself as a rock and indie singer to break away from her bubble-gum pop image, to much derision from the critics. Undeterred, she made a comeback in 2000 with Spinning Around, written by Paula Abdul. In the video she wore gold hotpants that made her as famous for her backside as her vocal ability.
Actress Anne Charleston, who played Madge in Neighbours alongside Minogue, was among many colleagues offering support today. She told GMTV: "If it's diagnosed early enough, [breast cancer] can be treated and I think it's a good thing that she's in Australia with her family. They are a very close family and you do need your family around you."
