Bee Gees star Robin Gibb believes his battle with cancer and the death of two of his brothers could be a form of payback for the global fame and fortune his family has enjoyed.

The singer, 62, said he could be paying a "karmic price" for the success of the hit group after being diagnosed with colon and liver cancer.

His twin brother Maurice died after suffering a heart attack during stomach surgery in 2003, while his younger sibling Andy, who was also a pop star, died in 1988 at he age of 30.

Speaking to The Sun he said: "I sometimes wonder if all the tragedies my family has suffered, like Andy and Maurice dying so young and everything that's happened to me recently, is a kind of karmic price we are paying for all the fame and fortune we've had. But we've worked hard for everything we've achieved."

The Stayin' Alive star, who is currently in remission after collapsing with the illness in 2010, insisted he has never been at "death's door" but said the disease had convinced him to make the most of the time he has left.

"The illness, and the untimely death of my brothers, has made me conscious of the fact that - rather than just think about it - it's crucial that you do today what you want to do," he said

"I've got a sense of urgency about life, rather than withdrawing from it and feeling depressed.

"Now I know how precious time is, and that you can't put it in the bank. So I intend to make the most of every single second of it that I've got left."