Barry Manilow Will Have an Operation for Cancer in His Lung.

Barry Manilow has revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer of the lung and will be having a surgical procedure.

Cancer Caught Early

The legendary 82-year-old artist, famous for his series of upbeat chart-toppers from "Mandy" established him as one of pop music’s most beloved performers, will have an operation to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to combat the illness, which is at an early phase.

“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a return of another five weeks.

“Despite the fact that I was past the infection and performing again at the Westgate Las Vegas, my excellent physician ordered an MRI just to make sure that all was clear.

“The MRI discovered a tumor on my left lung that requires removed. It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early.”

Concert Delays

He has delayed a number of forthcoming concerts, but stated he would be returning to perform by Valentine’s Day for his long-running residency at his Vegas home.

He added: “The physicians do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to verify their assessment. So, that’s it. No chemo. Radiation therapy is off the table. Just home remedies and classic TV.

“I’m counting the days until I rejoin my home away from home at the Westgate Las Vegas for our February love-themed shows.”

A Long Career and Personal Life

Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a concert series in Nevada. The singer has spent decades in the public eye and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after marrying his partner of many years, Garry Kief privately in 2014.

The duo were in a private partnership for over 35 years. Last year, Manilow reflected on how vital his husband had been to him during his explosion in popularity in the 1970s.

“As my career exploded, it was just crazy. And, you know, going back to an empty hotel room, you can find yourself in a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re by yourself night after night,” he said.

“But I encountered my future husband right around when it was exploding. And I didn’t have to go back to those lonesome rooms. I had somebody to share sorrows with or to share joys with.

“I desire that young people don’t have to go back to those rooms by themselves, because you can make poor choices. I never did. But it was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was joyful.”