Barry Manilow feared he was dying after lung cancer diagnosis Veteran crooner Barry Manilow feared he was "dying" after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and credits his doctor with saving his life because he caught the disease so early. 24 March 2026 Barry Manilow thought he was "dying" after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Barry Manilow has opened up about his cancer battle The 82-year-old crooner went public with his diagnosis late last year revealing he needed to postpone his upcoming concert dates so he could undergo surgery to remove a cancerous spot from one of his lungs.