Barry Manilow, 82, has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will reschedule his January arena concerts to undergo surgery, according to a personal message the music icon posted on social media December 22.

 

“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks,” Manilow said his statement. “Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK. The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed.”

 

“It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early. That’s the good news,” wrote the hitmaker who has enjoyed 25 top 40 hits over the years, according to Billboard. His most enduring songs include ’70s smash hits “Copacobana (at the Copa),” “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs” and “Looks Like We Made It.”

 

Manilow said he will undergo surgery to have the spot removed and then spend a month in recovery. “The doctors do not believe it has spread, and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis,” Manilow wrote. “So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.”

 

Manilow recently completed his “Christmas A Gift of Love” concert series, which raised millions for nonprofit organizations throughout the Coachella Valley. He also released a new single, “Once Before I Go,” earlier this fall.

 

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States for both men and women, accounting for about 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Lung cancer mainly affects older people, and two thirds of people diagnosed with the disease are age 65 or older.

 

This year, an estimated 226,650 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and more than 124,730 people will die of the disease, the ACS reports. What’s more, lung cancer is often diagnosed late and is difficult to treat.

 

Manilow encouraged his fans to get tested “if you have even the slightest symptom.”

 

The ACS recommends lung cancer screening using computed tomography (CT) scans for individuals 55 to 74 years old who have at least a 30-year history of smoking a pack a day and for those who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years.

 

To learn more, click #Lung Cancer or read Cancer Health’s Basics on Lung Cancer. It reads in part:

 

What is lung cancer?

Cancer develops when cells grow out of control. Lung cancer begins in the lungs and can spread to the lymph nodes and elsewhere in the body, a process known as metastasis. Lung cancer is often diagnosed late and is difficult to treat.

There are three main types of lung cancer: non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and lung carcinoid tumor. About 80 to 85 percent of lung cancers are NSCLC, which can be further broken down into adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas and large cell (undifferentiated) carcinomas.

 

What are the risk factors for lung cancer?

A variety of factors increase the likelihood of developing lung cancer, such as:

  • Tobacco smoke: Smoking cigarettes is the leading risk factor for lung cancer. Smoking cigars, pipes, low-tar cigarettes and menthol cigarettes can increase a lung cancer risk as much as regular cigarettes. In addition, inhaling secondhand smoke from someone else’s cigarette can also cause lung cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7,300 people who never smoked die from lung cancer due to secondhand smoke each year.

  • Personal or family history: Lung cancer survivors are at risk of developing another lung cancer, especially if they smoke. A person’s risk of lung cancer is also higher if a relative had the disease.

  • Exposure to radon: Exposure to radon gas, which forms naturally from the decay of radioactive elements in rocks and soil and can get trapped in houses and buildings, can cause lung cancer.