South African singer Patricia Lewis has been diagnosed with six tumours on her thyroid.

Lewis spent the past three weeks consulting specialists.

On Tuesday a biopsy was done to determine whether the largest of the tumours was cancerous.

The results should be known in the next few days but the tumour will have to be removed either way.

There was a chance the singer's vocal chords could be permanently damaged during the operation but her husband Mark Whitfield said she was keeping strong.

"She is in good spirits and she is dealing with it really well," said Whitfield.