Barry Manilow to Undergo an Operation for Cancer in His Lung.

Barry Manilow announced that he was diagnosed with a cancerous growth in his lung and is set to have surgery.

Cancer Caught Early

The 82-year-old singer, whose parade of beloved anthems from "Copacabana" established him as one of pop music’s cherished entertainers, will have surgery to take out a section of lung tissue in an effort to treat the condition, which is detected early.

“As my fans are aware, I recently suffered from six weeks of a bronchial infection followed by a relapse of another five weeks.

“Although I was past the infection and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor insisted on an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK.

“The MRI discovered a malignant lesion on my lung that requires removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a fantastic physician) that it was caught so early.”

Rescheduled Shows

He has rescheduled a string of forthcoming live performances, but stated he would be back on stage by mid-February for his enduring residency at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

He continued: “The doctors do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to support their conclusion. So, that’s it. No chemotherapy. No radiotherapy. Just rest and recuperation and I Love Lucy reruns.

“I’m counting the days until I rejoin my second home for our Vegas run for our February love-themed shows.”

Professional and Personal Journey

Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a residency in Nevada. The singer has been in the public eye and came out as gay in 2017, after marrying his partner of many years, Garry Kief privately in 2014.

The couple were in a private romance for more than 35 years. Last year, Manilow discussed how crucial his partner had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.

“When my fame skyrocketed, it was just crazy. And, you know, coming home to an empty hotel room, you can land in a lot of problems if you, you know, you’re by yourself repeatedly,” he said.

“But I found my partner right around when it was exploding. And I didn’t have to go back to those isolated suites. I had a person to be vulnerable with or to enjoy success with.

“I hope that young people don’t have to go back to those hotel rooms by themselves, because you might succumb to pitfalls. I never did. But it was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was a shared adventure.”