Barry Manilow Scheduled for an Operation for Cancer in His Lung.

Barry Manilow has revealed that he received a diagnosis with cancer of the lung and is set to have a surgical procedure.

Early-Stage Diagnosis

The octogenarian performer, whose parade of upbeat chart-toppers from "I Write the Songs" has made him one of pop music’s most beloved showmen, will have an operation to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to fight off the condition, which is in its early stages.

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

“Although I was recovered from the illness and returned to the spotlight in Las Vegas, my attentive medical team ordered an MRI just to make sure that there were no issues.

“The MRI identified a tumor on my lung that must be removed. It’s incredible chance (and a fantastic physician) that it was found so early.”

Concert Delays

He has rescheduled a series of forthcoming live performances, but stated he would be back on stage by mid-February for his enduring concert series in Las Vegas.

He continued: “The medical team do not believe it has spread and I’m undergoing further tests to support their conclusion. So, that’s it. No chemotherapy. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.

“I’m looking forward to until I return to my second home at the Westgate Las Vegas for our special weekend performances.”

Professional and Personal Journey

Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a residency at the Westgate Las Vegas. The singer has been in the limelight and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after wedding his longtime partner and manager privately in 2014.

The pair were in a clandestine relationship for over 35 years. In 2023, Manilow reflected on how vital his partner had been to him during his rise to peak fame in the 1970s.

“During my rapid rise to fame, it was just hectic. And, you know, returning to an empty hotel room, you can find yourself in a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re by yourself evening after evening,” he said.

“But I found my partner right around when it was exploding. And I no longer had to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had a partner to be vulnerable with or to celebrate with.

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