Patrick Swayze has pancreatic cancer but George Fisher, the doctor treating Swayze, said: “All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side-effects are absolutely untrue.” Dr Fisher added: “We are considerably more optimistic.”

Swayze was said to have undergone radical chemotherapy in California in January. However, there were claims that the disease had already spread to Swayze’s other vital organs.

Patrick Swayze and his wife, Lisa Niemi last November, 2007