Barry Manilow has postponed his upcoming shows so he can focus "on healing" after undergoing surgery to remove part of his lung,
The 82-year-old entertainer - who is battling lung cancer- revealed he's "doing great" after the operation but his doctors advised him to rest so he's pulled the plug on his planned residency concerts at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Barry wrote: "I want to share an update with you all. I'm doing great and recovering very well after my surgery. I've been getting exercise and spending some time in the studio, which has been fantastic.
"With my doctor’s guidance and recommendation, however, we have decided to postpone my residency dates at Westgate Las Vegas from 12-21 February so I can stay focused on healing and getting ready for the tour that’s kicking off at the end of February.
"Having a few extra weeks to rest and prepare is what the doctor ordered!"
The statement added that ticketholders for the postponed dates will receive refunds.
Manilow went public with his cancer diagnosis in December revealing it was discovered after he spent weeks battling a bout of bronchitis.
In a post on Instagram, Barry explained; "As many of you know I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks.
"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. "
The bad news is that now that the Christmas Gift Of Love concerts are over I’m going into surgery to have the spit [sic] removed."
However, Manilow explained the doctors do not think the cancer has spread so he's unlikely to require chemotherapy or radiation treatment following the operation.
He added: "The doctors do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns."
The singer rescheduled his concerts planned for January and told fans he hoped to be back on stage the following month, adding: "Something tells me February is going to be one big party ... "
