The Cancer thread: Cancer, early warning signs, and detection

[DarkSkies]

Hey guys and gals. I've made it my mission to learn more about cancer.

The recent sadness that Pebbles and I have been through makes me think that there are a lot of people out there who do not have all the facts on cancer, so I'm asking anyone out there who can help us, to post up in this thread with any links, articles, personal anecdotes, anything they feel will benefit someone else down the road.

Cancers like pancreatic cancer, spine cancer, and in some cases bone cancer, are probably to a large extent not curable. From what I've seen in life, anyone getting these types most often dies, albeit at different times.

And I don't mean to insult anyone who has or knows someone who gets any of the above cancers, my heart goes out to you people.

The main point I'm trying to make here is that not all cancer is curable, no matter how much we hope and pray. Prayer will not cure pancreatic cancer, if that person was meant to survive, they will. The best thing I have learned is that it's never too early to prepare for the possibility of death if you have a cancer diagnosis.

Death is the final destination for us all..... but on the way there, there is nothing wrong with taking charge and celebrating our life, mending the broken fences of failed relationships and hurt feelings, and in general making peace with those we are close to.

As mentioned. I'll try to focus on the allegedly treatable cancers, prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, etc. Also the best suggestions for early detection.

I can't do this by myself, people, I need your help.

Each and every person in this world has in some way been touched by cancer, and I'm sure some of you have some painful stories to tell.

So I'm asking for your help and participation in this thread. If it's personal to you, and you absolutely cannot share it with the public, so be it.

But if you feel for one second that what you have to say could help someone else down the road, please share with us.

What knowledge or advice any one of you might have, and not feel is important, could help save a life down the road someday.

Just remember there are no right or wrong answers or opinions in this thread. All input is welcome as long as it is given respectfully in the spirit of helping others.

And I don't have to remind any fishermen out there that we have lost quite a few of our fishing brothers to cancer, one of the most recent being Gary Hull, the well-known maker of Gary2 plugs, who succumbed to complications from prostrate cancer last year. RIP, Gary.

Although I only got to talk to him a few times, I admired and respected him. I remember exactly where I was the night I heard he died, and where I was fishin.

He left us way too early. Who knows if his disease could have been arrested from early detection, but early detection is the best way we have now of saving someone's life.

So apologies if this is a little long winded, or if you feel it doesn't belong in the main forum, it is what it is, as JimmyZ says.

Please help us if you can by contributing to this thread, opinions, comments, or any articles you find out there, as long as you post the link for the article as well. Thanks.

[surferman]

I have heard that they can tranplant the pancreas for people with diabetis who have under gone kindey transplants. If this is the case can't the pancreas be transplanted for people with cancer?

[DarkSkies]

Surferman, that makes sense to me, but I have not heard of too many pancreas transplants. In an older person I could understand them not wanting to take a risk.

My Mom had a friend who died a few years ago of pancreatic cancer. The lady was in her 50's and otherwise healthy. Her case seeemed ideal for a pancreas transplant. Instead she just died a slow death. Anyone in the medical profession who may have any more info about this, feel free to jump in.



We also have a thread here titled "Quit smoking and win a plug!"
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...and-win-a-plug!!!
Might be a litle extra incentive for anyone who was thinking about quitting.,,

[DarkSkies]

This was released today by Johns Hophins. A DNA test would be a great step in the right direction.


http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-ndt081709.php

Public release date: 17-Aug-2009
Contact: Phil Sneiderman
prs@jhu.edu
443-287-9960
New DNA test uses nanotechnology to find early signs of cancer





IMAGE: Jeff Wang, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering doctoral student Vasudev Bailey examine samples of modified DNA during a new test designed to detect early genetic clues...
Click here for more information.


Using tiny crystals called quantum dots, Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a highly sensitive test to look for DNA attachments that often are early warning signs of cancer.

This test, which detects both the presence and the quantity of certain DNA changes, could alert people who are at risk of developing the disease and could tell doctors how well a particular cancer treatment is working.

The new test was reported in a paper called "MS-qFRET: a quantum dot-based method for analysis of DNA methylation," published in the August issue of the journal Genome Research. The work also was presented at a conference of the American Association of Cancer Research.

"If it leads to early detection of cancer, this test could have huge clinical implications," said Jeff Tza-Huei Wang, an associate professor of mechanical engineering whose lab team played a leading role in developing the technique. "Doctors usually have the greatest success in fighting cancer if they can treat it in its early stage."

Wang and his students developed the test over the past three years with colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Stephen B. Baylin, deputy director of the center and a co-author of the Genome Research study, said the test represents "a very promising platform" to help doctors detect cancer at an early stage and to predict which patients are most likely to benefit from a particular therapy.

The recent study, which included the detection of DNA markers in sputum from lung cancer patients, was designed to show that the technology was sound. Compared to current methods, the test appeared to be more sensitive and delivered results more quickly, the researchers said. "The technique looks terrific, but it still needs to be tested in many real-world scenarios," Baylin said. "Some of these studies are already under way here. If we continue to see exciting progress, this testing method could easily be in wide use within the next five years."

The target of this test is a biochemical change called DNA methylation, which occurs when a chemical group called methyl attaches itself to cytosine, one of the four nucleotides or base building blocks of DNA. When methylation occurs at critical gene locations, it can halt the release of proteins that suppress tumors. When this occurs, it is easier for cancer cells to form and multiply. As a result, a person whose DNA has this abnormal gene DNA methylation may have a higher risk of developing cancer. Furthermore, these methylation changes appear to be an early event that precedes the appearance of genetic mutations, another precursor to cancer.

[DarkSkies]

IMAGE: In this illustration, quantum dots are depicted as gold spheres that attract DNA strands linked to cancer risks. When the quantum dots are exposed to certain types of light, they...
Click here for more information.


To detect this DNA methylation, the Johns Hopkins team found a way to single out the troublesome DNA strands that have a methyl group attached to them. Through a chemical process called bisulfite conversion, all segments that lack a methyl group are transformed into another nucleotide.

Then, another lab process is used to make additional copies of the remaining target DNA strands that are linked to cancer. During this process, two molecules are attached to opposite ends of each DNA strand. One of these molecules is a protein called biotin. The other is a fluorescent dye. These partner molecules are attached to help researchers detect and count the DNA strands that are associated with cancer.

To do this, these customized DNA strands are mixed with quantum dots, which are crystals of semiconductor material whose sizes are in the range of only few nanometers across. (A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, far too small to see with the naked eye.).These dots are usually employed in electronic circuitry, but they have recently proved to be helpful in biological applications as well. Quantum dots are useful because they possess an important property: They easily transfer energy. When light shines on a quantum dot, the dot quickly passes this energy along to a nearby molecule, which can use the energy to emit a fluorescent glow. This behavior makes the cancer-related DNA strands light up and identify themselves.

In the Johns Hopkins cancer test, the quantum dots have been coated with a chemical that is attracted to biotin–one of the two molecules that were attached to the DNA strands. As a result, up to 60 of the targeted DNA strands can stick themselves to a single quantum dot, like arms extending from an octopus. Then, an ultraviolet light or a blue laser is aimed at the sample. The quantum dots grab this energy and immediately transfer it to the fluorescent dyes that were attached earlier to the targeted DNA strands. These dye molecules use the energy to light up.
These signals, also called fluorescence, can be detected by a machine called a spectrophotometer.

By analyzing these signals, the researchers can discover not only whether the sample contains the cancer-linked DNA but how much of the DNA methylation is present. Larger amounts can be associated with a higher cancer risk.

"This kind of information could allow a patient with positive methylation to undergo more frequent cancer screening tests. This method could replace the traditionally more invasive ways for obtaining patient samples with a simple blood test," said Vasudev J. Bailey, a biomedical engineering doctoral student from Bangalore, India, who was one of the two lead authors on the Genome Research paper. "It's also important because these test results could possibly help a doctor determine whether a particular cancer treatment is working. It could pave the way for personalized chemotherapy."

In addition, because different types of cancer exhibit distinctive genetic markers, the researchers say the test should be able to identify which specific cancer a patient may be at risk of developing. Markers for lung cancer, for example, are different from markers for leukemia.

The other lead author of the Genome Research paper was Hariharan Easwaran, a cancer biology research fellow in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Along with Wang and Baylin, the other co-authors were Yi Zhang, a biomedical engineering doctoral student at Johns Hopkins; Elizabeth Griffiths, an oncology clinical fellow in the School of Medicine; Steven A. Belinsky, of the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute in Albuquerque, N.M.; James G. Herman, a professor of cancer biology in the School of Medicine; and Hetty E. Carraway, an assistant professor of oncology in the School of Medicine.

Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer staff members have applied for international patent protection covering the testing technique and are in talks with a biotechnology company that has expressed interest in licensing the application.

The research was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, the National Science Foundation, the Hodson Foundation and the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute

[Pebbles]

Too difficult for me to talk about right now.

However, I want to add for the time being that people don't want to hear that they can not be cured.

I hope all who post will be careful of being negative. When you are going through this you need to concentrate on living. Negative vibes just make it worse.

[mick2360]

I was diagnosed with cancer in November of 2008. I am being treated and, so far, the scopes show no recurrence. I took another sample screen about nine days ago and am waiting for the results. If I can get two years under my belt without a recurrence, my chances for a full recovery are good. If not, it could get dicey. So I am using my time to set my house in order (personally, spiritually and financially) and keeping it positive.

One bit of advice, this is an insidious disease that can be caught early. Yearly physicals can screen out a lot of it while it can be treated. Don't ignore signs. A little embarrassment and discomfort can save a lot of grief and tears down the line. Don't ignore it. And life is for living. Get after it guys. There are no guarantees.

[DarkSkies]

Thanks Mick, I know you almost died back then, and by the grace of God and early detection, you were lucky. Early detection can help us all, and this stuff might be painful to talk about, so thanks for posting.


"And life is for living. Get after it guys. There are no guarantees. "

Amen to that too, bro.

[mick2360]

Thanks Mick, I know you almost died back then, and by the grace of God and early detection, you were lucky. Early detection can help us all, and this stuff might be painful to talk about, so thanks for posting.


"And life is for living. Get after it guys. There are no guarantees. "

Amen to that too, bro.

The thing that ALMOST killed me was my appendix blowing up. The cancer was caught early, so we'll see.....

cancer.

[DarkSkies]

I'm sorry Mick, maybe I was confusing those 2 incidents in my head, thanks for having patience with me. Will continue to hope for the best for you, and put out a reminder for all guys over 30 to pay attention to signs.

If you're feeling a little "off" fatigue easily, etc, and you are sure it's not due to a weight or glandular problem, get your aZZ to a doctor. And it might involve them sticking something in your aZZ for a prostate exam, well man up and do it!

I had one done last year. I wasn't too eager to go, but they knock ya out with anesthesia, ya don't feel a thing (except when you're done and you see the Doc zipping his pants back up!) ::

Seriously, all those homophobic fears kept me away from exams like that, and if you think about it logically, it's just part of a routine exam to get all parts of your body checked. Don't ignore signs guys, and many times you might not even have evidence of disease.

A nagging cough that won't go away, a mole on your arm or back that suddenly changes color or shape, or starts to be painful.....Cancer takes more people than it needs to every year, all because some of us are too macho to go to the Doc, me included.


eff cancer, no cancer allowed in the Effumall club.

[DarkSkies]

Some early warning signs of cancer, guys and gals:


http://style.uk.msn.com/wellbeing/mi...mentid=9510204



Cancer: how to spot the early warning signs


MSN's guide to ensure you catch all the early warning signs of cancer. If you're something's worrying you, take no risks and get it checked out...

Persistent coughs, sudden weight loss, mystery spots. Most commonly these unexplained symptoms are down to nothing more serious than a throat infection, inflamed hair follicle or even stress.

But in some rare cases these complaints can signal early warning signs of something much more serious, such as one of the various forms of cancer. Reality TV star Jade Goody, who was recently diagnosed with cervical cancer, reportedly ignored several health warnings before finally being told she had the condition while taking part in the Indian version of Big Brother.

We take a look at some of the red flags that could help you to catch cancer in its early stages and seek appropriate treatment.



(Image © Rex Features)

Prostate
Cancer of the prostate is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in most western countries – there are 35,000 new cases in the UK every year. The condition is most common in men over 50, but all men should be aware of the warning signs as an early diagnosis usually leads to successful treatment. Symptoms include difficulty passing uring, passing urine often, pain when urinating, inability to urinate, interrupted urine flow, blood in the urine and pain in the lower back, hips and thighs. If any of these apply to you – make an appointment to see your GP straight away.

For more information go to - http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/

[DarkSkies]

(Image © Rex Features)

Lung
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and the second most common in women. The disease kills 1.3 million people worldwide every year. Smoking is the primary cause, so it should go without saying that giving up cigarettes goes a long way to preventing the disease. If you must (and you really, really shouldn’t) smoke tobacco, then be aware of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, coughing up blood, wheezing, chest pain, weight loss, fatigue, pain when swallowing and loss of appetite.

For more information go to - http://www.lunguk.org/

[DarkSkies]

Skin
Skin cancer is one of the fastest-growing cancers in the world, but it is thankfully also one that is commonly caught in its early stages (any tumours are usually clearly visible on the surface of the skin). Overexposure to UV light is the main cause, so always wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing when you are out in the sun. Symptoms to look out for include any unexpected changes to the skin that do not heal, ulcers on the skin and any change in appearance to an existing mole.

For more information go to - http://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/

[DarkSkies]

Bowel
Bowel cancer is the second most lethal cancer in the UK (lung cancer is the deadliest). Over 35,000 people will be diagnosed this year, and for roughly half of them it will prove fatal. However, bowel cancer is also one of the most curable variants of the disease – if it is caught early. So what symptoms should you be on the lookout for? Stay alert to any changes in your bowel movement habits (if you go more or less often that usual), bleeding from your bottom, abdominal pain, lumps in your stomach, fatigue or sudden weight loss.

For more information go to - http://www.beatingbowelcancer.org

[DarkSkies]

This would be the freakiest cancer I could get, one I would not want to hear about if I got it. The thing is, early detection here and with other cancers could save your life. I know these things aren't comfortable to talk about, but if your life is at stake, isn't it worth knowing this info?


Testicles
Testicular cancer is most common in white men aged between 15-35 years, but has an unusually high cure rate of over 90%. So good news for men who worry about the disease (that should be all of you), but early diagnoses is, as always, desirable and experts recommend a monthly self-inspection for any small lumps. Other symptoms include, hardening of the testis, abnormal sensitivity, pain, loss of libido, blood in the semen and fatigue.

It’s all about ball control, chaps.

For more information go to - http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

[DarkSkies]

Stomach
Stomach cancer causes around one million deaths worldwide every year and is the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide after lung cancer. Common in the Far East, South America and Iceland, stomach cancer has been linked to a diet that is high in salt, smoking and poor diet. Unfortunately, in its early stages stomach cancer is very hard to diagnose, mainly because its symptoms are predominantly non-specific, such as indigestion and lack of appetite. When recognisable symptoms do occur, the cancer has commonly spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms which should give rise to concern are abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, sudden weight loss, constipation, bloating, fatigue, vomiting blood or bleeding from the bottom.

For more information go to - http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

[DarkSkies]

(these symptoms and resources are all from the same source)
http://style.uk.msn.com/wellbeing/mi...mentid=9510204


Breast Cancer symptoms:

Breast
Breast cancer is the most common form of the disease amongst women. The disease killed over 500,000 women in 2005 and cases are on the increase thanks to modern lifestyles. The most common sign of the disease is a lump in the breast (80% of cases are discovered this way by the patient herself). Doctors will them conduct a mammogram to determine the seriousness of the lump. Other symptoms include changes in breast size, discharge from one of the nipples or dimpling of the skin. All women should check their breasts regularly and consult their doctor if any of these symptoms appear.

For more information go to - http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk


Cervical cancer symptoms:

Cervical
Cervical cancer occurs when cells in the woman’s cervix grow out of control. In 2003, 2300 women in England were diagnosed with the disease. Again, early diagnoses is essential if the condition is to be treated. Deaths from cervical cancer have actually fallen sharply over the last 20 years, primarily because of an NHS screening programme which detects the cancer at an early stage, before the patient is even showing any symptoms. If the condition is not spotted, however, symptoms to look out for include abnormal vaginal bleeding, discharge and discomfort during intercourse. If you experience these symptoms, chances are it is down to something a lot less serious, but get yourself checked out just in case.

For more information go to - http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk

[DarkSkies]

Related Links

20 foods that fight cancer

Cervical cancer: vital information

DIY health checks

[stripercrazy]

An uncle died of pancreatic cancer. It was quick. He was diagnosed, and died 6 months later. I didn't know much about cancer then, but it was a traumatic experience for my aunt and cousins. Sad stuff, thanks for the thread Dark.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CR...itearea=&dt=34

Overview: Pancreatic CancerHow Is Pancreatic Cancer Found?It is hard to find pancreatic cancer early. Because the pancreas is deep inside the body, the doctor cannot see or feel tumors during a routine physical exam. By the time a person has symptoms, the cancer is usually large and has spread to other organs. This is the main reason that people with this cancer often have a poor outlook.
Right now there are no blood tests or other tests that can easily find this cancer early in people without symptoms. Levels of tumor markers such as CA 19-9 and CEA may be higher than normal in people with pancreatic cancer, but the cancer is usually advanced by the time the levels become high.
Tests for certain genes in people with a strong family history of the disease can help tell if they are at higher risk for this cancer. But if the results show that these people could be at higher risk they may not be able to get health insurance, or it may cost more. These tests are not used to screen the general public. To learn more, see our document, Genetic Testing: What You Need to Know.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Jaundice: A yellow color of the eyes and skin is called jaundice. It is caused by a build-up of a substance (bilirubin) that is made in the liver. At least half of all people with pancreatic cancer (and all people with ampullary cancer) have jaundice. While jaundice can be a sign of cancer, more often it is caused by something else.
Pain: Pain in the belly area (abdomen) or in the middle of the back is a very common sign of advanced pancreatic cancer. Again, such pain is often caused by something other than cancer.
Weight loss: Losing weight (without trying) over a number of months is very common in patients with this cancer. They may also feel very tired and not feel like eating.
Digestive problems: If the cancer blocks the release of the pancreatic juice into the intestine, a person may not be able to digest fatty foods. Stools might be pale, bulky, greasy, and float in the toilet. Other problems may include nausea, vomiting, and pain that gets worse after eating.
Swollen gallbladder: The doctor may find that the gallbladder is enlarged. The doctor can feel this and see it on imaging studies.
Blood clots: Sometimes blood clots form in the veins or cause problems with fatty tissue under the skin. Clots can sometimes travel to the lungs and cause trouble with breathing. But having a blood clot does not usually mean that you have cancer. Most blood clots are caused by other things
Diabetes: This cancer can cause problems with blood sugar. Sometimes (but not often) it can cause diabetes.
History and physical exam
First the doctor will ask questions about your health and do a physical exam. The exam will focus mostly on the belly (abdominal area). Sometimes this type of cancer spreads to the lymph nodes or the liver so the doctor will check these for swelling, too. The skin and the white part of the eyes will be checked for yellow color (jaundice).
Certain other tests that make pictures of the inside of the body might also be done. These are called imaging tests.
Imaging tests
CT scan (computed tomography)
This is a special type of x-ray that creates detailed pictures of the inside of the body. CT scans are useful in finding cancer and in seeing how far it has spread. CT scans can also be used to help guide a biopsy needle into the place that might be cancer (see below for more about biopsy).
CT scans are often used to find out if a person has pancreatic cancer. They are also helpful in finding out how much the cancer has spread. This is called staging the cancer. CT scans show the pancreas clearly and often can confirm where the cancer is. CT scans can also show the organs near the pancreas, as well as lymph nodes and distant organs where the cancer might have spread. The CT scan can help the doctor to decide whether surgery is a good treatment option.
CT scans take longer than regular x-rays, but they are getting faster. You need to lie still on a table while they are being done.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
MRI scans use radio waves and strong magnets instead of x-rays to take pictures. MRI scans are helpful in looking at the brain and spinal cord. MRI scans take longer than CT scans—often up to an hour. Also, you have to lie inside a narrow tube, which can be upsetting for some people. Newer, "open" MRI machines can help with this if needed. The machine also makes a loud thumping noise. Some places will give you headphones with music to block it out.
Most doctors prefer CT scans to look at the pancreas, but an MRI may sometimes give more information.
PET scan (positron mission tomography)
PET scans involve injecting a form of sugar that contains a radioactive atom into the blood. Cancer cells absorb large amounts of this sugar. A special camera can show where these cells are. This test is useful to see whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other places.
PET/CT scan: This new test combines the 2 types of scans to even better pinpoint the tumor. This test may be especially useful for spotting cancer that has spread beyond the pancreas and can't be removed by surgery. It may also be useful for staging the cancer. It may even be able to spot early cancer.
Ultrasound
This test uses sound waves to make pictures of the inside of the body. The pictures are combined by a computer to give a detailed image. This test can help tell what kind of a tumor is in the pancreas. Endoscopic ultrasound is done with a probe placed through the mouth or nose into the stomach. The probe can be pointed toward the pancreas. This gives a very good picture and is better than CT scans for spotting small tumors. Patients are given medicine to make them sleepy (sedated) for this type of ultrasound.
ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography)
For this test patients are given medicine to make them sleepy (sedated). Then a thin, flexible tube is passed down the throat, all the way into the small intestine. The doctor can see through the end of the tube and find where the common bile duct opens into the small intestine. A small amount of harmless dye is then injected through the tube into the ducts. This dye helps outline the ducts on x-rays. The pictures can show narrowed or blocked ducts that might be caused by a cancer of the pancreas. The doctor doing this test can also put a small brush through the tube to remove cells to look at under a microscope to see whether they look like cancer. ERCP can also be used to place a small tube (stent) into the bile duct to keep it open if a nearby tumor is pressing on it.
Angiography
This is a type of x-ray used to look at blood vessels. This test can show whether blood flow in an area is blocked or slowed by a tumor. It can also show if there are any abnormal blood vessels. The results help the doctor decide whether the cancer can be removed and helps them plan the surgery.
Angiography can be uncomfortable because the radiologist who does it has to put a small tube (called a catheter) into the artery leading to the pancreas. Usually the catheter is put into an artery in the inner thigh and threaded up to the pancreas. Medicine called a local anesthetic is often used to numb the area before putting in the catheter. Then the dye is injected quickly to outline all the vessels while the x-rays are being taken.
There are other tests, including blood tests, the doctor might use to learn more about a tumor. But the only way to know for sure if cancer is really present is with a biopsy.
Biopsy
During a biopsy a sample of tissue from the tumor is removed and looked at under a microscope to see if there are cancer cells. There are several types of biopsies that might be done. In the past, a biopsy was often done as part of surgery. Now, the FNA (fine needle aspiration) biopsy is most often used. For this test, the doctor puts a thin needle through the skin and into the pancreas to remove small pieces of tissue. Ultrasound might be used to place the needle through the wall of the intestine into the tumor. This test can be done while you are awake. It rarely causes side effects.
Another way to get biopsy samples is by doing 'keyhole surgery' (laparoscopy). For this you are given drugs to make you sleep. Then the surgeon makes small cuts and puts small, thin, telescope-like instruments into the belly. One of these instruments is connected to a video screen. The surgeon can look at your insides, see how big the tumor is, and see if it has spread. Biopsy samples can also be taken.
Most doctors who treat people with pancreatic cancer try to avoid surgery unless it looks like an operation might be able to remove all of the cancer. Even so, there are times when the doctor starts an operation only to find that the cancer has spread too far to be completely removed. In these cases, the doctor just takes a sample of the tumor and the rest of the operation is stopped.

[Pebbles]

Patrick Swayze succumbs to pancreatic cancer

‘Dirty Dancing’ star, 57, battled disease since January 2008

msnbc.com news services

Patrick Swayze, the hunky actor who danced his way into viewers’ hearts with “Dirty Dancing” and then broke them with “Ghost,” died Monday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.
“Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,” said a statement released Monday evening by his publicist, Annett Wolf. No other details were given.
Fans of the actor were saddened to learn in March 2008 that Swayze was suffering from a particularly deadly form of cancer.

He had kept working despite the diagnosis, putting together a memoir with his wife and shooting “The Beast,” an A&E drama series for which he had already made the pilot. It drew a respectable 1.3 million viewers when the 13 episodes ran in 2009, but A&E said it had reluctantly decided not to renew it for a second season.
Swayze said he opted not to use painkilling drugs while making “The Beast” because they would have taken the edge off his performance. He acknowledged that time might be running out given the grim nature of the disease.
When he first went public with the illness, some reports gave him only weeks to live, but his doctor said his situation was “considerably more optimistic” than that.
“I’d say five years is pretty wishful thinking,” Swayze told ABC’s Barbara Walters in early 2009. “Two years seems likely if you’re going to believe statistics. I want to last until they find a cure, which means I’d better get a fire under it.”
‘Dancing’ made him a star
A three-time Golden Globe nominee, Swayze became a star with his performance as the misunderstood bad-boy Johnny Castle in “Dirty Dancing.” As the son of a choreographer who began his career in musical theater, he seemed a natural to play the role.
A coming-of-age romance starring Jennifer Grey as an idealistic young woman on vacation with her family and Swayze as the Catskills resort’s sexy (and much older) dance instructor, the film made great use of both his grace on his feet and his muscular physique.

It became an international phenomenon in the summer of 1987, spawning albums, an Oscar-winning hit song in “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life,” stage productions and a sequel, 2004’s “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights,” in which he made a cameo.
Swayze performed and co-wrote a song on the soundtrack, the ballad “She’s Like the Wind,” inspired by his wife, Lisa Niemi. The film also gave him the chance to utter the now-classic line, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”
And it allowed him to poke fun at himself on a “Saturday Night Live” episode, in which he played a wannabe Chippendales dancer alongside the corpulent — and frighteningly shirtless — Chris Farley.
A major crowd-pleaser, the film drew only mixed reviews from critics, though Vincent Canby wrote in The New York Times, “Given the limitations of his role, that of a poor but handsome sex-object abused by the rich women at Kellerman’s Mountain House, Mr. Swayze is also good. ... He’s at his best — as is the movie — when he’s dancing.”

Swayze followed that up with the 1989 action flick “Road House,” in which he played a bouncer at a rowdy bar. But it was his performance in 1990’s “Ghost” that showed his vulnerable, sensitive side. He starred as a murdered man trying to communicate with his fiancee (Demi Moore) — with great frustration and longing — through a psychic played by Whoopi Goldberg.
Swayze said at the time that he fought for the role of Sam Wheat (director Jerry Zucker wanted Kevin Kline) but once he went in for an audition and read six scenes, he got it.
Why did he want the part so badly? “It made me cry four or five times,” he said of Bruce Joel Rubin’s Oscar-winning script in an AP interview.