Patrick Swayze Joins List of Many Famous Celebs with Pancreatic Cancer

Patrick Swayze is one of a long list of celebrities to be stricken down with deadly pancreatic cancer. The disease is the same one that killed Michael Landon in 1991 and never has a good prognosis. Pancreatic cancer is on the rise yet there is little by way of progress made with this disease.

The symptoms for pancreatic cancer include pain. Landon felt that he had an ulcer, until the pain got excruciating. Landon lasted less than a year after the diagnosis. His final performance was on the Tonight Show where he literally said goodbye to his legion of fans.

Michael Landon died within nine months after the diagnosis was made. By all accounts, he remained upbeat until the end, fighting the disease every step of the way.

Other stars who have died from pancreatic cancer include Fred Gwynne, most noted for his portrayal of Herman Munster. Comedian Jack Benny also died from this disease as did actors Rex Harrison, Donna Reed, Fernando Lamas, Richard Crenna.

Pancreatic cancer recently claimed the life of Luciano Pavarotti, who also succumbed from the disease. Treatment for the disease has not changed much since Joan Crawford was diagnosed and quickly died from pancreatic cancer.

What is even worse than the fact that these talented people left us so soon was the way they were preyed upon by those who wanted to siphon every drop of money they could from them until the end. "Magic cures" were promised to many of these stars by "healers." Michael Landon was blending up vegetables and drinking them to try to cure himself of the cancer on the advice of an eastern "healer."

Talented actor and dancer, Patrick Swayze, who is probably best known for his performance in "Dirty Dancing," and "Ghost," is only 55 years old. According to cancer experts, only four percent of pancreatic cancer patients survive five years after the diagnosis. Swayze is also a bit young for such a diagnosis. Most people who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are in their 60s or older.