MELBOURNE, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Iconic Australian actress and singer Olivia Newton-John has been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time, it was revealed on Wednesday.
Newton-John, 68, announced that an upcoming tour of the United States and Canada would be postponed after it was discovered that chronic back pain was being caused by a recurrence of breast cancer, which she was first diagnosed with in 1992.
After beating the disease for the first time, the British-born singer made significant contributions to breast cancer research by opening the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Research Centre in Melbourne in 2014.
"The back pain that initially caused her to postpone the first half of her concert tour has turned out to be breast cancer that has metastasised to the sacrum," a post by Newton-John on social media said on Wednesday.
"I decided on my direction of therapies after consultation with my doctors and natural therapists and the medical team at my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia."
Jonathon Cebon, medical director at the research center, said he was saddened to hear of the cancer returning.
"Late relapses from breast cancer can occur, especially for women with 'hormone receptor-positive' breast cancer," Professor Cebon told Australian media on Wednesday.
"These relapses can occur sometimes even decades after initial treatment for early breast cancer."
"This unpredictability of breast cancer, and its ability to return after many years, is an area of active research at the institute through our Translational Breast Cancer Program."
In an illustrious career spanning 51 years, Newton-John has won four Grammy awards and sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, making her one of the best-selling recording artists of all-time.
