In the preview I saw of the interview, it was said that the doctor had told Swayze that if he quit smoking it could give him 2-3 more years. I think that with his money and talent, he could accomplish a lot in that time, plus give his wife that much more time to be with him. I know that sounds judgemental but I just have to wonder where his priorities are. My wife is an RN and used to work in oncology at our local hospital. She tells me of people who would have burns on their faces from pulling aside their oxygen masks to smoke and the oxygen would flair up. I know how hard it is to quit, having done it myself, but I'm not especially strong or wise or really, anything special so if I can do it... Oh, well, I'll climb down off my soapbox now and wish Patrick Swayze all the best.

I quit smoking one year ago and this after 50 years of smelling sweet. LOL I won't condone or try to tell others that have thid not to smoke. That is a personal decision. At this time I have a 2nd go rpund with an Abdominal Aortic appearing right where the last one was repaired. My tobgue, where it was removed on both sides fron OC is hurting more than it did after surgery. The surgeon that put Rad seed implants in mt tongue after having my teeth all removed and my getting 4 weeks of Rads & Chem then the implant, I see monday after I get a nuclear stress test to see if I can handle surgery to repair the anneurysm. I been there once and twice with OC so far , and if this stuff isn't going to be cured and fixed. I might just say the Hell with it and live as normal a life as I can until it's over. Good Luck Patrick Swayze and just do your best. I plan on it.

Obviously the doctor is not trying to take away Patrick and Lisa's hope but the grim reality is that the 5 year survival rate is still 5% for pancreatic cancer. I personally don't know of anyone who lived more than 6 months and some as short as 3 months from date of Dx. It is nothing short of bordering on the miraculous that Patrick and Steve Jobs have lived as long as they have. Especially, in Patricks case, where he has liver mets as well. Liver cancer, by itself, has a very poor survival rate. They are also downplaying the pneumonia issue, which is quite serious in a compromised immune system.

We humans have such a distaste and denial about death, especially from an institutional perspective. In Elizabeth Kubler Ross's book on Death and Dying she stated the creative ways that institutions refer to it. Patients don't "die" for instance, they "expire". Patients don't "die" in surgery, they are "lost on the table". It's almost a violation of the Hypocratic oath to "allow" a patient to die. I have had to lobby doctors to get them to write hospice orders, especially for my dad, who passed 2 weeks after the order was written. He could have had months of much higher quality time with home hospice care. I am still angry at the doctor about that.

There has to be a fine line between taking away someones hope and allowing and helping them to prepare for their death.

It is all very, very sad.

And, yes, there were people, undergoing treatment in radiation oncology, sneaking smokes in the bathroom as UCSF.

While going to radiation here at the Cancer Institute at St Johns there was a lady with breast cancer scheduled right before my treatments. Every day I knew I smelled cigarettes, but she had a man with her in the waiting room and I told myself that it was him. One of the last days of her treatment we met in the locker room while changing and the cigarette smell was very strong. I really wanted to ask her if she was smoking, but was afraid of an really nasty response so I did not.

Maybe some people do not believe that smoking causes cancer despite the evidence. Maybe some people just figure that it is pointless to give it up now. It is like being a drug addict and all that matters is that next fix even if it will kill you to some people.

In AA we say that "alcohol might kill you - smoking will kill you".

I know the argument - we've all had relatives who smoked like chimneys into their 90's and got away with it (although not in my family) - but that was before we had all of this other stuff mixed in with it, diesel soot, global pollution, radioactive fallout from above ground nuclear testing, pesticides, drugs, Aqua Velva ;-), Al Gore and God knows what else.

As Gary noted, pneumonia is also a factor here. Today's Washington Post TV column noted that Patrick Swayze had to check himself into a hospital with pneumonia yesterday. He missed the A&E press conference on his new series, the Beast where they explained they could not get any cast insurance on Swayze due to his cancer.

Speaking of insurance. I understand that you can't get life insurance until you have been cancer free for over 7 years.

I guess if there is an upside to Patricks condition, as least he was able to check himself in, vs. EMT.

My parents were life-long smokers -- Mom died of lung cancer -- Pop had an aortal aneurysm and emphysema when he died -- No autopsy, but I'd bet he literally coughed to death.

I know a woman that is in her second or third year post treatment for pancreatic cancer.

I found it so strange watching the interview that Patrick justifies his continued smoking by saying something like stopping would not change the outcome of his treatment. He seems very motivated and has surely accomplished an amazing feat by taping 13 episodes of what looks like a very active role in an exciting program. I think he just can't admit that he can't stop smoking.

An interesting name for the show. How many of us have referred to our cancer as "THE BEAST"?

Jerry

No but I used that term to describe the Tx more than once.