Music Legend Barry Manilow to Undergo Surgery for Lung Cancer.

Barry Manilow has revealed that he was diagnosed with lung cancer and is set to have a surgical procedure.

Cancer Caught Early

The 82-year-old singer, whose parade of beloved anthems from "I Write the Songs" has made him one of pop music’s enduringly popular showmen, will have an operation to take out a section of lung tissue in an effort to fight off the disease, which is in its early stages.

“For those who have been following, I recently suffered from six weeks of bronchitis followed by a return of another five weeks.

“Despite the fact that I was over the bronchitis and returned to the spotlight for my residency, my excellent physician ordered an MRI just to be certain that there were no issues.

“The MRI discovered a malignant lesion on my lung that needs to be removed. It’s pure luck (and a skilled doctor) that it was discovered so early.”

Postponed Performances

He has rescheduled a number of planned live performances, but suggested he would be on stage again by Valentine’s Day for his longstanding engagement in Las Vegas.

He added: “The doctors do not believe it has metastasized and I’m taking tests to verify their assessment. So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiotherapy. Just chicken soup and classic TV.

“I’m counting the days until I rejoin my home away from home for our Vegas run for our special weekend performances.”

Decades in the Spotlight

Manilow is currently in the 16th year of a residency at the Westgate Las Vegas. The singer has enjoyed a career spanning many years in the limelight and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after tying the knot with his longtime partner and manager in secret in 2014.

The pair were in a clandestine romance for in excess of 35 years. Recently, Manilow reflected on how vital Kief had been to him during his explosion in popularity in the 1970s.

“When my fame skyrocketed, it was just overwhelming. And, you know, coming home to an vacant room, you can get into a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re by yourself evening after evening,” he said.

“But I encountered my future husband right around when it was blowing up. And I was spared from having to go back to those isolated suites. I had somebody to cry with or to enjoy success with.

“I wish that newcomers today don’t have to go back to those suites by themselves, because you might succumb to pitfalls. I never did. But it was quite isolating until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”