Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees has liver cancer

(CBS) Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb is battling liver cancer, forcing him to cancel recent appearances and make several emergency trips to the hospital from his home outside London.

The 61-year-old singer, who is one of two surviving members of the Bee Gees, was rushed to hospital by ambulance Tuesday after his family called the British equivalent of 9-1-1, according to the Sunday Mirror. He was reportedly released after several hours.

Last month, the Mirror reported, Gibb was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Oxford, where he was kept for four days for treatment for an inflamed colon.

He also has canceled several high-profile appearances, including a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron to launch a Poppy Appeal version of the Bee Gees' hit "I've Gotta Get a Message to You."

British newspapers are reporting that Gibb's mother, who lives in Miami, and older brother Barry flew to London from the U.S. to be at the singer's bedside. Also at his bedside was Dwina, his wife of 26 years.

The Bee Gees, best known for "Stayin' Alive" and other "Saturday Night Fever" disco tunes, sold 200 million records worldwide until it disbanded after Robin's twin, Maurice, died in 2003.

Maurice, 53, died of complications from a twisted small intestine,a congenital condition. Robin had surgery for the same sort of blockage in 2010.

The fourth brother, Andy, died in 1988 after struggling for years with a cocaine addiction.