PATRICK SWAYZE DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL PANCREATIC CANCER



"Dirty Dancing" star Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and might only have weeks to live, a rep for the actor told the New York Post's Page Six gossip column.

Swazye was diagnosed with the cancer more than a month ago, Page Six says. The average life expectancy for the disease is six to nine months, with only 4 percent of patients living more than five years.

Earlier Wednesday, the National Enquirer reported that Swayze had been diagnosed in late January with pancreatic cancer that had spread to other organs. The tabloid said he has five weeks left to live.

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For the past month, Patrick, 55, has been traveling to Stanford University's prestigious cancer center in Palo Alto for radical chemotherapy, but his doctors are no longer optimistic that the treatments will be successful, the Enquirer says.

According to the Enquirer, Patrick and his wife, Lisa Niemi — who both have pilot's licenses — have been flying their private Beechcraft plane into Palo Alto's airport, minutes from the Stanford Cancer Center, where the actor reportedly has received outpatient treatment.

He received three doses of chemotherapy and the tumor shrank, but less than his doctors had hoped for — and Patrick was told he should prepare for the worst, the Enquirer reports.

Click here for more information on pancreatic cancer.

"He was told he could have two more treatments, but his cancer was not responding. In short — they held out little hope for a cure," an insider reportedly said.

The "Ghost" actor has lost more than 20 pounds in the past few weeks and is restricted to a liquid diet because he has trouble keeping down solid food, the insider reportedly added.

Click here to read more on this story from the New York Post.

Click here to read more on this story in the National Enquirer

He was awesome in Roadhouse

Oh man ... that sucks

how sad, we have been talking about it all day at work. Our team name is team swayze...so we are all sad

that is very sad news!

i liked him he was good in ghost and dirty danceing

I understand the prognosis for this type of disease is never good. God bless him!! Maybe there will be a miracle or something. How awful for anyone!!

Oh, sad. I had not heard.

poor guy...its a horrible cancer to have to deal with...

He was in the only movie that I will admit to crying too...Ghost. Atleast we know when we die we will have Patrick protecting our souls!

Terribly sad news

I was watching cable tv and the news caster said his spokesman said it was not so.

Swayze’s cancer doc denies actor has only weeks to live
By Inside Track
Thursday, March 6, 2008 - Updated 5h ago

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The doctor treating “Dirty Dancing” legend Patrick Swayze, who has pancreatic cancer, last night shot down claims made by the National Enquirer that the actor had five weeks to live.

“All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue,” Swayze’s oncologist, Dr. George Fisher, said in a statement released to TMZ.com.

Swayze’s rep did confirm that the “Ghosts” and “Donnie Darko” star was undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer yesterday after the Enquirer story made the rounds. He was diagnosed a month ago, the flack said.

The Enquirer reported on its Web site yesterday that the 55-year-old actor’s terminal cancer has spread to his other organs and time was running out.

The tabloid’s story - on newsstands today - alleges that for the past month the “Ghost” hunk has allegedly been traveling to Stanford University’s prestigious cancer center in Palo Alto, Calif. for radical chemotherapy, but that his doctors are no longer optimistic about the treatment’s success. Dr. Fisher is in residence at the cancer center.

Patrick and his wife Lisa Niemi - who are both licensed pilots - have reportedly been flying their private Beechcraft plane in to Palo Alto’s airport to get Swayze to his outpatient treatments, the tabloid said.

The Enquirer reported that Patrick’s tumor shrank after three doses of chemo, but not as much as docs had hoped, prompting them to tell the actor he should start preparing for the worst.

“He was told he could have two more treatments, but his cancer was not responding,” the Enquirer’s source said. “In short - they held out little hope for a cure.”

Patrick’s rep countered that the actor “is continuing his normal schedule during this time, which includes working on upcoming projects.

“The outpouring of support and concern he has already received from the public is deeply appreciated by Patrick and his family.”


http://news.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view.bg?articleid=1078121&srvc=home&position=also

bummer

Very Sad.....great actor!!!

very sad news....great actor