HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Patrick Swayze, famous for such classic movies as "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost," has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his publicist Annett Wolf confirmed on Wednesday.
According to Wolf, the 55-year-old star has continued to work during treatments and she dismissed tabloid reports that have portrayed him as being in grave condition with only weeks to live.
Wolf issued a written statement from the actor's physician, Dr. George Fisher, which said: "Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment."
"All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue," Fisher continued. "We are considerably more optimistic."
Swayze's first roles were in films such as "The Outsiders" (1983), "Red Dawn" (1984) and "Youngblood" (1986), but his first major success was in the 1985 television mini-series "North and South." He then rose to stardom with his performance as dance instructor Johnny Castle in the 1987 film "Dirty Dancing," where his past ballet experience proved valuable.
The Texas-born Swayze's fame rose further in 1990 when he starred in "Ghost," alongside Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. The film was a box office hit and was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture.
Wolf said the actor has deeply appreciated the "outpouring of support and concern" he has received from the public.
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