Barry Manilow to Undergo Surgery for Lung Cancer.

Barry Manilow announced that he was diagnosed with cancer of the lung and will undergo surgery.

Spot Found in Initial Phase

The legendary 82-year-old artist, famous for his series of upbeat chart-toppers from "I Write the Songs" cemented his status as one of pop music’s enduringly popular showmen, will have surgery to remove part of his lung in an effort to fight off the condition, which is at an early phase.

“For those who have been following, I recently endured six weeks of a bronchial infection followed by a relapse of another five weeks.

“Although I was recovered from the illness and returned to the spotlight at the Westgate Las Vegas, my excellent physician ordered an MRI just to be certain that all was clear.

“The MRI identified a cancerous spot on my left lung that requires removed. It’s pure luck (and a fantastic physician) that it was caught so early.”

Concert Delays

He has postponed a number of planned live performances, but stated he would be returning to perform by Valentine’s Day for his longstanding concert series at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

He went on to say: “The medical team do not believe it has spread and I’m undergoing further tests to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. No chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is off the table. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.

“I’m eagerly awaiting until I rejoin my familiar venue in Las Vegas for our special weekend performances.”

A Long Career and Personal Life

Manilow is now in the 16th year of a concert series on the Las Vegas Strip. The singer has spent decades in the limelight and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after marrying his longtime partner and manager in secret in 2014.

The duo were in a clandestine partnership for in excess of 35 years. Last year, Manilow reflected on how important his partner had been to him during his explosion in popularity in the 1970s.

“During my rapid rise to fame, it was just overwhelming. And, you know, returning to an empty hotel room, you can find yourself in a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re by yourself evening after evening,” he said.

“But I found my partner right around when it was taking off. And I no longer had to go back to those lonesome rooms. I had a partner to be vulnerable with or to enjoy success with.

“I hope that newcomers today don’t have to go back to those rooms by themselves, because you can make poor choices. I never did. But it was very solitary until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”