Music Legend Barry Manilow to Undergo an Operation for Lung Cancer.

Barry Manilow announced that he received a diagnosis with lung cancer and will undergo an operation.

Cancer Caught Early

The 82-year-old singer, whose parade of upbeat chart-toppers from "Copacabana" has made him one of pop music’s most beloved performers, will have a procedure to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to fight off the condition, which is at an early phase.

“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of a severe cough followed by a relapse of another five weeks.

“Despite the fact that I was recovered from the illness and performing again at the Westgate Las Vegas, my attentive medical team ordered an MRI just to be certain that all was clear.

“The MRI identified a tumor on my lung that needs to be removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a great doctor) that it was discovered so early.”

Concert Delays

He has postponed a number of planned shows, but stated he would be returning to perform by mid-February for his longstanding engagement 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 taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. No chemotherapy. No radiotherapy. Just chicken soup and favorite shows.

“I’m counting the days until I return to my familiar venue at the Westgate Las Vegas for our Valentine’s weekend concerts.”

Professional and Personal Journey

Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a concert series on the Las Vegas Strip. The singer has enjoyed a career spanning many years in the public eye and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after tying the knot with his partner of many years, Garry Kief in secret in 2014.

The pair were in a private relationship for in excess of 35 years. Last year, Manilow discussed how vital his partner had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.

“During my rapid rise to fame, it was just crazy. And, you know, returning to an lonesome hotel suite, you can land in a lot of difficulty 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 lonesome rooms. I had a person to be vulnerable with or to share joys with.

“I hope that aspiring artists don’t have to go back to those suites by themselves, because you get yourself in trouble. I never did. But it was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”