Barry Manilow to Undergo a Procedure for Lung Cancer.

Barry Manilow announced that he was diagnosed with lung cancer and is set to have surgery.

Cancer Caught Early

The octogenarian performer, whose parade of beloved anthems from "Copacabana" cemented his status as one of pop music’s cherished performers, will have an operation to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to combat the disease, which is detected early.

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

“Even though I was past the infection and returned to the spotlight in Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor insisted on an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK.

“The MRI discovered a tumor on my left side that needs to be removed. It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was caught so early.”

Postponed Performances

He has delayed a series of upcoming live performances, but suggested he would be on stage again by the February holiday for his long-running concert series at his Vegas home.

He continued: “The physicians do not believe it has traveled 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 eagerly awaiting until I rejoin my familiar venue at the Westgate Las Vegas for our February love-themed shows.”

Decades in the Spotlight

Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a residency at the Westgate Las Vegas. The singer has spent decades in the spotlight and revealed he is gay in 2017, after tying the knot with his longtime partner and manager privately in 2014.

The pair were in a private relationship for over 35 years. Recently, Manilow spoke about how vital Kief had been to him during his explosion in popularity in the 1970s.

“When my fame skyrocketed, it was just crazy. And, you know, coming home to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re by yourself evening after evening,” he said.

“But I met Garry right around when it was blowing up. And I didn’t have to go back to those isolated suites. I had a partner to be vulnerable with or to celebrate with.

“I desire that young people don’t have to go back to those suites by themselves, because you can make poor choices. I never did. But it was quite isolating until I met Garry. And then it was a shared adventure.”