Iconic Singer Barry Manilow Will Have a Procedure for Cancer in His Lung.
The singer has disclosed that he received a diagnosis with cancer of the lung and is set to have a surgical procedure.
Cancer Caught Early
The octogenarian performer, whose parade of high-spirited hits from "Copacabana" has made him one of pop music’s most beloved entertainers, will have surgery to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to treat the illness, which is detected early.
“As my fans are aware, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks.
“Even though I was recovered from the illness and returned to the spotlight in Las Vegas, my excellent physician ordered an MRI just to ensure that there were no issues.
“The MRI identified a malignant lesion on my left side that must be removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a great doctor) that it was caught so early.”
Rescheduled Shows
He has delayed a series of planned shows, but suggested he would be on stage again by mid-February for his long-running residency in Las Vegas.
He continued: “The medical team do not believe it has spread and I’m undergoing further tests to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. No chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is off the table. Just home remedies and favorite shows.
“I’m counting the days until I come back to my familiar venue for our Vegas run 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 spent decades in the public eye and came out as gay in 2017, after marrying his manager and long-term partner in secret in 2014.
The pair were in a discreet relationship for over 35 years. In 2023, Manilow reflected on how important his husband had been to him during his rise to peak fame in the 1970s.
“As my career exploded, it was just overwhelming. And, you know, returning to an lonesome hotel suite, you can get into a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re on your own evening after evening,” he said.
“But I encountered my future husband right around when it was blowing up. And I didn’t have to go back to those isolated suites. I had somebody to be vulnerable with or to enjoy success with.
“I desire that newcomers today don’t have to go back to those suites by themselves, because you get yourself in trouble. I never did. But it was very solitary until I met Garry. And then it was a shared adventure.”
