Why Barry Manilow's Cancer Diagnosis Won't Lead To An Extreme Treatment Plan

On December 22, 2025, Barry Manilow announced his cancer diagnosis via Instagram. Though the news took the world by storm, his small treatment plan shocked people even more: According to the singer, he would only be undergoing surgery. "No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and 'I Love Lucy' reruns ... The only follow-up is a month to recover and that we have to reschedule the January arena concerts." 

Manilow's seemingly minimal treatment plan may be due to his cancer being detected early, which the singer described as "pure luck." Moreover, based on Manilow's lack of described symptoms, the cancer apparently had little to no major effects on the singer's body. (Here are some early signs of lung cancer you should be aware of.)

According to OncoDaily, Manilow is speculated to have been diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer. Surgery is a typically recommended treatment method for stage 1 lung cancer, which frequently does not need additional treatment. As Dr. Christopher Seder explained (via American Medical Association), "If you're lucky enough to find a lung cancer at a very early stage ... then you have the opportunity to undergo a surgery that has a high risk of curing that lung cancer."

Manilow had been diagnosed with bronchitis, a sickness the "Copacabana" singer recovered from after 6 weeks, only for it to return for another 5 weeks of illness. Given how bronchitis affects the lungs and Manilow's job as a singer, his doctor suggested an MRI. When the results came in, a "cancerous spot" was found on the singer's left lung. His doctor ordered a quick removal, which forced Manilow to postpone his additional Christmas charity performances. He shared that he was also undergoing additional tests to make sure that his cancer hadn't spread to other parts of his body. That said, he didn't leave his fans without some hope for the future shows. 

"In the meantime, I'm counting the days until I return to my home away from home at the Westgate Las Vegas for our Valentine's weekend concerts," he wrote, adding, "Something tells me that February weekend is going to be one big party!" 

Like King Charles' cancer treatment update, Manilow echoed much of the same praise for early detection: "And remember if you have even the slightest symptom... get tested!" 

Consistent screening and early detection are significant in diagnosing not just lung cancer, but different types of cancer in general. "Pap smears are really important to get because they are an excellent screening tool for cervical cancer which happens to be the only gynecologic cancer that we have simple and reliable screening for," said Dr. Nariman Heshmati, a senior OBGYN at Everett Clinic in Washington (via American Medical Association). "Screening is also important because it can take years for normal cervical cells to become cancerous and often there are no symptoms during that early time."

"Prostate cancer, when we find it early, is an incredibly curable disease," said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society, adding that if it is found early, "over 99% of men would be alive and cancer-free at five years."

(Here's how cancer starts, according to science.)