Patrick Swayze's 'Red Dawn' co-star speaks out

Patrick Swayze's 'Red Dawn' co-star Lea Thompson says she's optimistic about the actor - who announced yesterday that he is battling pancreatic cancer.

"I’ve known him for so long, he’s a great guy, and I love him so much," Thompson told Us Weekly magazine last night.

The pair co-starred in 1984's Red Dawn - an action film about an invasion of the United States by the Soviet Union and Cuba.

"He was such a great dancer," she added. "He will be resilient — us dancers are tough!"

It was confirmed yesterday the that the Dirty Dancing actor, 55, was suffering from the life threating disease.

His publicist said in a statement: "Actor Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and is currently undergoing treatment.

"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."

Swayze's doctors have also rejected claims in the National Enquirer magazine that the star has only five weeks to live.

"Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far," Swayze's doctor, Dr. George Fisher, said. "All of the reports stating the time frame of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic."

The Hollywood star was diagnosed with the condition in late January, and told that it has now spread to other organs.

Swayze has been receiving treatment from specialists at the Stanford University Medical School in California for the past month.

A distraught family insider earlier told the Enquirer that Swayze has been told he only has five to six weeks to live.

"It was unbelievable. One day he's okay and the next he's going to die in a few weeks," the insider allegedly told the Enquirer.

Swayze and wife Lisa have flown their private plane to the nearby Palo Alto airport for regular treatment sessions.

The Enquirer claims that Swayze visited the Cancer Center on January 30, February 2, February 8, February 14 and February 22.

Swayze received three chemo treatments during that period, and visited with his doctors twice.

The star's tumour allegedly shrank during the period of treatment, but doctors have told him to expect the worst, the Enquirer claims.

"He was told he could have two more treatments, but his cancer was not responding," the insider said. "In short, they held out little hope for a cure.

"Patrick's family and friends are so grief-stricken they can barely contain their tears and anger."

Swayze reportedly began showing symptoms of his illness back in December 2007, while he was shooting a pilot TV show in Chicago.