“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.

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.”

He lived to get radical. RIP, man.

ï Kendra Wilkinson says she sneaked some contraband penis into the Playboy mansion. (Yeeeah!)

ï Victoria Beckham models for Armani skivvies; miraculously does not look like a praying mantis while doing so. (Anything Hollywood)

ï Did Paula Abdul get her schnozz whacked?
(Cityrag)

ï Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey spice up their sex life with provocative dancing. Unfortunately, it's Jim who's sporting the unitard. (Evil Beet)

ï You should probably watch the premiere of The Beast tonight. If you don't, Patrick Swayze will get sad and die. (Seriously OMG WTF)

ï Hey, it's Nicollette Sheridan in her underdrawers. Wouldja lookit that. (Drunken Stepfather)

ï Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were trapped under the same roof and it didn't even end up in a bloody dance-off. Mature! (Holy Moly)

Patrick Swayze's publicist issued the following statement to TMZ: "Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and is currently undergoing treatment. Patrick's physician Dr. George Fisher states, '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 timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic.' 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."

We don't know why we were even worried. This is Dalton we're talking about. James Dalton. The world's toughest bouncer! He can just take that pancreatic tumor and kill it with his bare hands.

In a shocking world exclusive, The NATIONAL ENQUIRER has uncovered the devastating news that the beloved Hollywood actor and dancer was diagnosed in late January with pancreatic cancer that has spread to other organs.

For the past month, Patrick, 55, has been traveling to Stanford Universityís prestigious cancer center in Palo Alto for radical chemotherapy, but his doctors are no longer optimistic that the treatments will be successful.

Patrick and his wife Lisa Niemi ó who both have pilotís licenses ó have been flying their private Beechcraft plane into Palo Altoís airport, minutes away from the Stanford Cancer Center, where the actor has received outpatient treatment.

He received three doses of chemotherapy and the tumor shrank, but less than his doctors had hoped for ó and Patrick was told he should prepare for the end.

ìHe was told he could have two more treatments, but his cancer was not responding. In short – they held out little hope for a cure,î said an insider.

We're trying to consider the source here–the last time the Enquirer published something that was true, it was about Barry Bostwick and his family updating their country kitchen or something. But on the off chance that it is true . . . well, the only thing giving us any remote glimmer of comfort is the idea of Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley reunited in heaven, performing their classic SNL Chippendales skit together again. Please recover, Mr. Swayze.

UPDATE: unfortunately, Swayze's rep has confirmed the utterly depressing news.

ï And speaking of Paris's vagina, she will be rubbing hers up against the lesbian thespians of The L Word. (The Superficial)

ï The results are in: Heath Ledger's death was caused by "accidental overdose" of SIX different types of prescription drugs. (TMZ)

ï Godspeed to you, Patrick Swayze! May your gut convalesce so that you may arabesque again. (IMDb)

ï Cammy Diaz gots some pegs, boy, I tells ya. (Cityrag)

ï Larry Birkhead take$ Dannilynn to vi$it her mother'$ grave$ite. (Celebitchy)

ï Bike shorts and what appears to be a Lamborghini Countache: no, it's not 1987; it's the new Bebe ads featuring Eva Longoria! (PopCrunch)

ï Bar Rafaeli: professional wearer of lingerie, schtupper of DiCaprio, sporter of labia-splitting bikini camel toe. (Derek Hail)

ï J. Lo is definitely having twins. And we are definitely having another cruller. Yum, jelly. (Evil Beet)

ï Kim Kardashian sued by ex-boyfriend's mom. Oh, what a tangled web. (The Blemish)

ï Rihanna launches her own umbrella line. What if her hit song had been called "Colostomy Bag"? Guess you can't really stand under one of those, though. Or can you? (Daily Stab)

ï Katie Holmes sez: "I won't wed 'til afterbirth!" God, that's sick! Oh, wait. That's "after birth".

ï Still married to one nonfamous guy, Tori Spelling gets engaged to another. That means two men have willingly signed up to make Tori Spelling's vagina the only vagina in their lives forever and ever and ever. Our world, it is a sick and sad one.

ï Unbearable douchelord Bono flirts with his own daughters, but at least saves the massive shagging for his wife only.

ï Wipe that image out of your mind with some naked pictures of former supermodel/erstwhile Axl schtup-puppet Stephanie Seymour.

ï Is Naomi Watts about to marry Liev Schreiber? Is she incubating his young? Is she going to don a bikini and bang Bond? Whowhatwherewhenwhyhowwhatwhatwhhhatttt???!?!?!?!?!

ï Whatsa matta, Paris? Crabs gotcha down?

ï Cindy Crawford's little son is totally in my face! Poor Maddox Jolie–replaced by a newer, hipper, younger, more attitude-y at age four.

ï Keira Knightley's thong. Yup. It sure is.

ï Eminem will make ex-wife Kim new wife Kim on January 14th. The invitation reads: "This day I will marry my best friend, the one I laugh with, live for, love." Guess "Sit down bitch/If you move again I'll beat the shit out of you" doesn't exactly scream "holy matrimony".

ï Joaquin Phoenix: method actor.

ï When you litter, Patrick Swayze turns his weather-beaten, spiritual face to the skies and weeps a solitary tear.

ï Paris Hilton gets her stoolbox hosed out.

ï Oasis member Noel Gallagher calls Jack White "Zorro on doughnuts". And, well, uh, he's kinda got a point there.

ï A stripper had drunken floor sex with David Arquette. Strippers have low standards.

ï And Mariah Carey has an employee who helps her lift those pesky beverages to her parched lips. Don't snicker–the strawmaster probably makes more than you.