SURGEONS who removed a cancerous lump from Kylie Minogue's breast are confident they have caught the disease in time, and that she will fully recover.
Dr Jenny Senior yesterday pronounced the operation a success and predicted the pop star would make a full recovery.
"The operation is considered best practice around the world for a girl with an early breast cancer," Dr Senior said after the surgery at Melbourne's Cabrini Hospital.
"I'm very pleased to be able confirm the operation was successful. I feel confident that we caught the cancer in time and that she is now on the road to a complete recovery."
Dr Senior said Kylie was feeling fine and in high spirits as she rested after the operation, which was performed on Friday.
Surrounding the star were her family and boyfriend Olivier Martinez, who has been keeping a 24-hour vigil at her bedside and has been described as her "rock" by friends.
"Kylie has been the perfect patient and has charmed all my staff. I just wish I could have met her under happier circumstances," Dr Senior said.
"I would like to thank her family and Olivier for making my job very easy. They were so welcoming."
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She said Kylie had asked her to pass on her thanks to to all who have expressed their love and concern for her.
Dr Senior said their support had "certainly helped (Kylie) through a tough time".
French film star Martinez stayed with Kylie throughout the night following the emergency operation.
He looked exhausted and emotionally drained as he drove out of the hospital carpark at 11.45am yesterday morning.
It is understood Martinez and Kylie spent the night comforting each other in a private room in the operating theatre.
According to the National Breast Cancer Centre, the treatment options for early breast cancer are dependent on the women's condition, but doctors will usually advise surgery.
This may involve breast-conserving surgery, in which only the tumour and a small area around it is removed, or a mastectomy, where the whole breast is removed.
Kylie, 36, was yesterday recovering from both the operation and her first session of radiotherapy treatment, according to hospital staffers.
"She had radiotherapy and she is on a drip," one hospital employee said.
A close family friend said yesterday that Kylie, Martinez and her family were hopeful she would be performing again soon.
"It's all a bit of wait and see at the moment," the friend said.
Martinez has hardly left Kylie's side. He urged her to seek help after she became ill on a plane to Melbourne two weeks ago and later discovered a lump in her breast.
"This is our fight," he reportedly told his superstar girlfriend. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you now and nothing else matters. Just get well."
It was the prayer of Kylie's millions of fans yesterday.
Everyone from Prime Minister John Howard, whose wife Janette had a cancer scare, to cancer survivor Delta Goodrem, sent messages of support.
Goodrem yesterday posted a message of hope for Kylie on her website, wishing her a speedy recovery.
Also with Kylie yesterday were her sister, Dannii, who flew from London on Friday, her cameraman brother, Brendan, and parents Ron and Carol.
But it is her boyfriend of two years, Martinez, who has become her "rock" during the ordeal, according to friends and relatives.
Martinez's father, Robert, told a British newspaper his son was "devastated, but the only important thing is to see her well."
glad that went well, excellent news.
