Barry Manilow Scheduled for an Operation for a Lung Cancer Diagnosis.

Barry Manilow announced that he was diagnosed with lung cancer and will undergo an operation.

Cancer Caught Early

The octogenarian performer, famous for his series of upbeat chart-toppers from "Copacabana" has made him one of pop music’s most beloved showmen, will have a procedure to remove part of his lung in an effort to fight off the disease, which is at an early phase.

“As my fans are aware, I recently endured six weeks of a severe cough followed by a recurrence of another five weeks.

“Although I was over the bronchitis and returned to the spotlight in Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to ensure that there were no issues.

“The MRI identified a malignant lesion on my left side that needs to be removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a skilled doctor) that it was caught so early.”

Rescheduled Shows

He has postponed a number of forthcoming concerts, but stated he would be returning to perform by mid-February for his longstanding residency at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

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

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

Decades in the Spotlight

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 spotlight and revealed he is gay in 2017, after marrying his longtime partner and manager confidentially in 2014.

The pair were in a private relationship for more than 35 years. Last year, Manilow spoke about how crucial his partner had been to him during his explosion in popularity in the 1970s.

“As my career exploded, it was just overwhelming. And, you know, going back to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re on your own repeatedly,” he said.

“But I met Garry right around when it was blowing up. And I no longer had to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had a person to cry with or to celebrate with.

“I desire that young people don’t have to go back to those suites by themselves, because you get yourself in trouble. I never did. But it was quite isolating until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”