Patrick SwayzePatrick Swayze has confirmed he has pancreatic cancer but his doctor insists it isn’t as bad as initial reports suggested.

After initially denying cancer rumours when the Dirty Dancing star was briefly hospitalised last month, his spokesperson has now confirmed that the actor is undergoing treatment for the disease but his physician Dr George Fisher denied reports that Patrick’s case is terminal and he has less than five weeks to live.

In a statement released yesterday afternoon, Dr Fisher explained: “Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far.”

“All of the reports stating the time frame of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic.”

His spokesperson added: “Patrick is continuing his normal schedule during this time, which includes working on upcoming projects. The outpouring of support and concern he has already received from the public is deeply appreciated by Patrick and his family.”

Around 7,000 people in the UK and 33,000 in the US are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year but because of the position of the pancreas in the abdomin, it is difficult to detect in the early stages causing a high mortality rate.

The average life expectancy following diagnosis of the typical form of the disease is typically six to nine months, with just 4% of patients living more than five years after diagnosis. Rarer forms of the disease usually have a higher survival rate.