Patrick Swayze’s Cancer Crisis

Patrick Swayze, the actor who wooed the ladies (and ticket sales) with his sexy hip-swaying in Dirty Dancing and sultry sculpture work in Ghost, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The cancer is particularly deadly, with an “average life expectancy for a newly diagnosed patient is six to nine months, with only 4 percent of victims surviving more than five years.” An early report yesterday alleged that the star was on his deathbed with only weeks to live, however his doctor and rep have since clarified the state of his condition. “Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far,” Dr. Patrick George said. “All of the reports stating the time frame of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic.”

His rep added that Swayze would also continue to work on his new A&E series The Beast, as well as other upcoming projects. His new film, Powder Blue, is set to be released this year and co-stars Jessica Biel and Forrest Whitaker. In the meantime, we’re sending lots of good thoughts Swayze’s way while he battles this disease.