Patrick Swayze Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer

[Esoteric]

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"Dirty Dancing" star Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — one of the most fatal forms of the disease — and is undergoing treatment, a representative for the actor said Wednesday in a written statement.

The statement followed a report earlier in the day by the National Enquirer that said Swayze, 55, had five weeks to live after doctors in late January diagnosed pancreatic cancer that had spread to other organs.

Swayze’s rep issued a statement Wednesday after the report began circulating, claiming the star is continuing his normal work schedule, and Swayze’s doctor said the reports of the actor's imminent death are unfounded.

"Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far. All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic," Swayze’s physician, George Fisher, said in a statement.

Fisher is an associate professor of teaching at Stanford University Cancer Center and is involved in many experimental cancer treatments.

Caught in its advanced stages, pancreatic cancer, which strikes about 30,000 people a year, has a less than 5 percent survival rate for five years. If caught early and treated aggressively with surgery and chemotherapy — and if the cancer has not spread to lymph nodes — the five-year survival rate can go as high as 17 to 25 percent, said Avram Cooperman, surgical director for the Pancreas and Biliary Center at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan.

It was not known whether Swayze had undergone surgery to remove the cancer or if any surgery was planned.

Swayze's mother, famed choreographer Patsy Swayze, told E! News she knows her son is sick.

"I don't really want to talk about it, but I know he's sick," she said. "But he has great doctors and a great prognosis, and that's all I can say."

For the past month, Swayze has been traveling to Stanford University Cancer Center in Palo Alto for radical chemotherapy, the Enquirer reported, which also quoted sources saying he had received three doses of chemotherapy. The tumor shrank, but less than his doctors had hoped for, the Enquirer reported.

Swayze's representative Annett Wolf told The Associated Press the "Ghost" actor's upcoming cable pilot still is in contention to become a series.

With the writers' strike over, the A&E pilot "The Beast," starring Swayze as an unorthodox FBI agent, was being considered to be turned into a series by the cable network. If that happens, Swayze hopes to continue to be part of the show.

A&E issued a statement Wednesday stating "The Beast" still was in contention to become one of the network's new original drama series and wished Swayze a speedy recovery.

Wolf said Swayze shot "The Beast" pilot last December and is not working on any new projects. Jennifer Grey, Swayze's co-star in the hugely popular 1987 romance "Dirty Dancing," told the New York Post she was "shocked" by the news of the actor's illness.

"That makes me feel very sad," she said.

Grey said she hadn't kept up with Swayze in the years since "Dancing," but "If I saw him on the streets today, I'd throw my arms around him and love him up."

Swayze, who impressed with his dance moves in "Dirty Dancing," had another hit with the romantic movie "Ghost" in 1990.

The tearjerker, which co-starred Demi Moore, was nominated for Best Picture, and Whoopi Goldberg won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Swayze and his wife, fellow dancer Lisa Niemi, have been married for 32 years.

Shitty news. Though he seems to be doing well with the treatment. Hopefully he gets better. "Dirty Dancing" was the shit!

[SecretMethod70]

It's very unlikely that he'll get much better from pancreatic cancer. It's a particularly terrible cancer.

From WebMD:

What Is the Outlook for Pancreatic Cancer?

The American Cancer Society reports that only about 23% of patients with cancer of the exocrine pancreas are still living one year after diagnosis. Only about 4% are still living five years after being diagnosed.

I'll watch Donnie Darko in his honor.

[Leto]

They're calling it the Road House curse now, as Jeff Healey just passed away last Sunday as a result of cancer.

keep a watch on Ben Gazzara....

[ShaniFaye]

I told my husband and mother the exact same thing this morning (I didnt know it had become an "official" curse now lol)

If anything happens to Sam Elliott Im gonna be devestated

All I could think of when I read it last nite was Michael Landon

I truly hope that in the last 17 years there have been some advances made that will help him

[Willravel]

Steve Jobs came back from his pancreatic cancer. It's not necessarily a death sentence.

[Xazy]

We always make a big fuss when ever a celeb gets sick, but truth is I pray daily for all sick people, they only help shine the light on the diseases.

[jewels]

My dad had it a few years ago. He's in his 70s and, after an aggressive bout of treatments, has survived with no recurrence (it's been about 5 or 6 years). In early stages, the new treatments are very successful.

From all indications, this was in the early stages and if that's true, he should be fine.

[Leto]

So then, how does it get diagnosed early? What are the signs to look for?

[jewels]

Originally Posted by Leto

So then, how does it get diagnosed early? What are the signs to look for?

Ask and ye shall receive. My buddy google gave me this:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pan...357/DSECTION=2

Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don't occur until the disease is advanced. When symptoms do appear, they may include:

Upper abdominal pain that may radiate to your middle or upper back. Pain is a common symptom of advanced pancreatic cancer. Abdominal pain occurs when a tumor presses on surrounding organs and nerves. Pain may be constant or intermittent and is often worse after you eat or when you lie down. Because many conditions other than cancer can cause abdominal pain, be sure to discuss your symptoms carefully with your doctor.
Loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss. Unintended weight loss is a common sign of pancreatic cancer. Weight loss occurs in most types of cancer because cancerous (malignant) cells deprive healthy cells of nutrients, and this is especially true in pancreatic cancer.
Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice). About half of people with pancreatic cancer develop jaundice, which occurs when bilirubin, a breakdown product of worn-out blood cells, accumulates in your blood. Normally, bilirubin is eliminated in bile, a fluid produced in your liver. But if a pancreatic tumor blocks the flow of bile, excess pigment from bilirubin may turn your skin and the whites of your eyes yellow. In addition, your urine may be dark brown and your stools white or clay-colored. Although jaundice is a common sign of pancreatic cancer, it's more likely to result from other conditions, such as gallstones or hepatitis.
Itching. In the later stages of pancreatic cancer, you may develop severe itching when high levels of bile acids, another component of bile, accumulate in your skin.
Nausea and vomiting. In advanced cases of pancreatic cancer, the tumor may block a portion of your digestive tract, usually the upper portion of your small intestine (duodenum), causing nausea and vomiting.
Digestive problems. When cancer prevents pancreatic enzymes from being released into your intestine, you're likely to have a hard time digesting foods — especially those high in fat. Eventually, this may lead to significant weight loss — as much as 25 pounds or more — and malnutrition.

[Plan9]

"Wolverines!"

Hilarious.

[SecretMethod70]

Originally Posted by willravel

Steve Jobs came back from his pancreatic cancer. It's not necessarily a death sentence.

Steve Jobs was diagnosed early and had a rare form of it.

[thespian86]

I was never a huge Swayze fan but I recently rewatched Donnie Darko and he is incredible in it. Sad.

[Hain]

Originally Posted by willravel

Steve Jobs came back from his pancreatic cancer. It's not necessarily a death sentence.

Originally Posted by SecretMethod70

Steve Jobs was diagnosed early and had a rare form of it.

No. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.


Damn shitty news regardless.

[Titan_Uranus]

Dude needs to stop smoking.