Patrick Swayze Vs. Pancreatic Cancer - 5 Weeks To Go

Patrick Swayze will likely face an uphill battle in his fight against pancreatic cancer, physicians say. The handsome star of the 80's hasn't been visible these days in the limelight.

The actor's publicists released a statement Wednesday, after reports in the National Enquirer and other publications said doctors had told the "Dirty Dancing" star he had only five weeks left to live according to ABC News.

"Sixty [percent] to 70 percent of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed in the most advanced stage -- when it has spread to other organs -- and we have, at best, minimally effective therapies for advanced pancreatic cancer," said William Blackstock, professor of radiation oncology at the Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Though the statement issued by Swayze's publicists does not delve into the details of his treatment, oncologists say the usual treatment plan for the disease combines both chemotherapy and surgery. Here's a picture of Patrick Swayze in the "Dirty Dancing" days.