Patrick Swayze Dies

From LoveToKnow Celebrity

After a brave battle with pancreatic cancer, Patrick Swayze dies at the age of 57.

Grim Prognosis

In January of 2008, the veteran actor was diagnosed with an advanced form of pancreatic cancer. One of the most deadly forms of the disease, pancreatic cancer has a devastatingly low survival rate.

After receiving his diagnosis, doctors told Swayze he had less than two years to live before succumbing to the disease. Swayze himself confirmed this in a later interview with Barbara Walters, though he also vowed that he would do everything he could to beat the disease and survive. During this and several other interviews, Patrick stated that his smoking was probably one of the leading causes of the disease. Some reports read that Swayze continued to smoke after receiving his cancer diagnosis.

Medical experts have commented numerous times on Swayze's form of pancreatic cancer, stating that of those who have received the same diagnosis as Swayze's, only one percent survives past five years.

Continued Work

Though he was going through debilitating chemotherapy and other treatments, Swayze continued to work on his projects, including the show The Beast and a made for TV movie Powder Blue.

Swayze battled pancreatic cancer for around 20 months before suffering from complications, which ultimately lead to his death.

Swayze is survived by his wife of over 30 years, Lisa Niemi. Though the couple made several attempts to start a family, they had no children. Swayze's only sibling, his sister Vicky, committed suicide in 1994. Her death is what allegedly led the actor to seek treatment for alcoholism.

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