Well-known actor Patrick Swayze, who starred in Dirty Dancing opposite Jennifer Grey, and in Ghost with Demi Moore, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May of this year, a few months prior to his 56th birthday.

Patrick Swayze has reportedly undergone treatment and he has responded well enough to continue working on the set of his new show, The Beast, which is expected to continue production until November. Although several news sources reported last spring that he had only five weeks to live, Swayze has proven these early estimates wrong.

Even though pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer, most people don’t know much about it. Pancreatic cancer typically has a poor prognosis and may spread to other organs even when caught early. Symptoms include abdominal pain that may also be felt in the back, poor appetite, a yellowish discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes, and weight loss.

Risk factors for the disease include smoking, being overweight, a history of pancreatitis (an infection of the pancreas), and older age. Patrick Swayze is young to have contracted this form of cancer, which typically strikes people in their 70’s and 80’s. African Americans are at higher risk than whites to develop this form of cancer.

Patrick Swayze, intentionally or not, has brought the world’s attention to this otherwise little-talked-about form of cancer. As November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, fans of the actor can likely look forward to hearing more news on how the actor is coping with the disease.

Related Links:

· Pancreatic Cancer from the NIH

· Video: Understanding Cancer from illumistream health

· Official Patrick Swayze Website