Family, friends and lover rally around singer

Kylie Minogue is surrounded by a close network of family and friends as she fights the disease. While she undergoes early treatment she is expected to stay with her parents in Melbourne. Her father Ron is an accountant and her mother Carol a housewife. Kylie has often spoken warmly of the importance of having a stable family background.

She said in one interview: "Half the reason why I'm still doing what I'm doing is that my parents provided me with such a good base."

Her boyfriend, French actor Olivier Martinez, is also in Australia with her, providing muchneeded support and encouragement during what will no doubt be the difficult weeks and months to come.

Kylie's close relationship with her pop star sister Dannii will also be crucial. Only last year Dannii said the sisters even suggested buying a house in France together as they were both going out with Frenchmen.

It is also without doubt that there are huge reserves of goodwill towards Kylie, both among fans and fellow celebrities. If the reaction when another, less famous, former Neighbours star was diagnosed with cancer is anything to go, Kylie will be inundated with messages of support from all round the world.

Three years ago, just as she was developing her own singing career, Delta Goodrem developed lymphatic cancer. Flowers were heaped around her family home by fans, and stars who did not even know her - including Russell Crowe, Olivia Newton-John and Nicole Kidman - wrote to her with messages of support.

Sir Elton John even tracked down her personal phone number to give her his best wishes "on behalf of Great Britain".

Today broadcaster and fellow Australian Jono Coleman said that "like a trouper" Minogue's first quote had been for her fans after she was forced to cancel her Australian tour.

He said: "Even at a time like this, at least she is with her family in Melbourne. The positive side to all this is that it is in the early stages, and this is not the death sentence that it used to be. Many millions of women around the world fight this disease every day so we just wish Kylie and her family every success in fighting this disease."

Minogue is a healthy person with a healthy diet but a rigorous schedule of work, Coleman said. "This takes its toll, and from my knowledge of these things there is always some history, often on the mother's side or the father's side.

"This is something she takes seriously, and this is why she has regular check-ups, so this has come as a terrible shock to all of us. But it is something she can fight and be a shining light and hopefully a beacon to other women and other men who are going through different kinds of cancer. I feel very positive about Kylie and the great thing is she is in Melbourne with the family, so she is surrounded by people supporting her.

"They will be an incredible help. Her brother works as a cameraman for a television network and is in Australia. Olivier will be with her as well, because he was going to be by her side for the Australian leg of the tour."

Coleman added: "She will be seeking the best possible medical treatment. It is something she has to get through with her fans, and everybody has to be very positive about it. This is the early stages and we just have to hope, fighter that Kylie is, that she comes through this fighting and also comes through it with a clean bill of health. It doesn't matter how long it takes."