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Kylie Minogue fan websites were flooded with messages of support after the singer announced she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Minogue used a statement to apologise to fans for postponing her Australian and Asian tour following the shock news.
The 36-year-old star was told she has early stage breast cancer while at home with her family in Melbourne and will undergo immediate treatment, her management said.
Minogue's announcement came just two days before the start of the Australian leg of her world tour, due to begin in Sydney on Thursday, followed by performances in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
"She will undergo immediate treatment and consequently her Australian tour will not be able to proceed as planned," said the Frontier Touring Company.
The statement added: "Kylie said today: `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'."
Minogue is expected to enter hospital in Melbourne in the next day or two for treatment.
"She's got a few tough weeks ahead of her," promoter Michael Gudinski told the Nine Network.
"The one thing I know about Kylie is, she's a fighter, and we're all thinking very, very positively and can't wait for the day she is smiling and back in action."
Minogue had a quiet lunch on Tuesday with breast cancer survivor Olivia Newton-John, shortly after receiving her diagnosis, according to News Ltd newspapers.
Minogue - whose 37th birthday is on May 28 - is understood to be staying with her parents Carol and Ron at their luxury home in the Melbourne suburb of Canterbury.
Her brother Brendan is also believed to be there, as is Minogue's French lover Olivier Martinez, who cancelled a flight back to Los Angeles. Sister Dannii is believed to be coming home from London.
The diagnosis is not her family's first brush with cancer. Minogue and her family gathered around her father Ron after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002.
Friends and supporters expressed shock at Minogue's news, but said her misfortune could help save other women's lives.
"All our thoughts, I'm sure all of Australia's and the world's thoughts will be with her," Gudinski told reporters.
Fans bombarded websites with messages of support for Australia's biggest music star.
"Get well soon," said Angela, an Australian living in London, whose message was posted on the BBC website in Britain, where Minogue has a huge following.
Dedicated Kylie fan sites were also flooded with best wishes by fans of Minogue, who made her name on the long-running soap opera Neighbours before launching her singing career in 1988 with the hit I Should Be So Lucky.
Minogue's popularity soared with the critically acclaimed 2001 album Fever and a series of raunchy video clips released with singles such as Can't Get You Out of My Head.
Pop identity Molly Meldrum recalled Newton-John's battle with breast cancer and Delta Goodrem's recovery from Hodgkins disease, a form of lymphatic cancer.
"Now Kylie - I can't comprehend it."
In London, Minogue's former on and off-screen Australian boyfriend Jason Donovan said he was shocked and concerned on learning about the pop star's cancer diagnosis.
Donovan, currently starring in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in London's West End, said: "My thoughts are with her and her family at this difficult time.
"I sincerely wish her well with her treatment, Kylie is a strong woman who will fight this battle on every front."
Pete Waterman, the producer who launched her pop career in 1988, said: "Kylie has my deepest sympathy but having lost my eldest son earlier this year I'm afraid I find it far too sensitive to discuss illness.
"I am so shocked to hear this news particularly since Mike Stock and I had a very poignant reunion with her at her recent Earl's Court gig where there were a lot of hugs and kisses.
"My very best wishes go to her, and of course her family, at this difficult time - my heart goes out to her."
Gudinski said Minogue's experience was a lesson to all women to keep checking themselves for breast cancer.
"This whole thing with Kylie now will just bring it to a further head, so if anything good can come of it the more and more people who have the check-ups and earlier it can be detected, the better."
Music promoter and manager Glenn Wheatley said he felt "numb".
"What she was about to embark upon was basically everything that everybody aspires to. This was going to be an extraordinarily successful tour."
Gudinski said Kylie's concert and touring plans were irrelevant now.
"Let's just give her time to go through what she's going through and we'll worry about all that in the future," Gudinski said.
"But at the moment it's time for her to be at home with her family and I think you'll find she'll be in hospital in the next couple of days."
Minogue has campaigned for breast cancer awareness, selling one of her bras for $6,880 at a 2002 charity auction in London.
The diagnosis struck in the middle of the gruelling Showgirl tour, which opened in Glasgow on March 19.
Fans have been told to hold on to tickets, with new concert dates to be announced in the future, Frontier Touring said.
As well as Australian dates, concerts in Singapore and Hong Kong have also been put on hold.
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