Fact From Fiction

" Then we'll tabloids have been using pictures of a frail looking Patrick Swayze lately reporting that he is losing his battle with pancreatic cancer. What the actor now says those reports are simply not true. Many believe that pancreatic cancer is a death sentence. So is it possible that Patrick Swayze is winning his battle with this disease. Fox News medical contributor doctor Jennifer -- joins us now I got -- morning Megan you know why it is true Latin believe if you get sentenced sentenced to pancreatic cancer that's what it is a death sentence. Is is survivable. Well it depends I -- the answer is yes and you know any any Doctor Who takes care -- patients who were living with and battling cancer. We'll tell you that the statistics. Are just that their statistics their numbers when it comes down to it at the end of the day every person is gonna fall into their own category and you would never forecast someone's -- day existence. Based on the overall what we call five year survival statistics so while you are absolutely correct that pancreatic cancer. Is one of the the most aggressive and dreaded forms of cancer because it's usually detected so late it has. Actually get as most people know a very -- five year survival less than about 20% even down to as -- 5% depending on where how advanced the cancer is you know be alive at five years but we don't know where Patrick Swayze will fall in those statistic I -- I know a lot of people who who. Actively worry about getting this disease because it is so hard to fight what. What is Patrick Swayze doing what might he be doing that would be helping him verses so many others who succumbed to the disease admit -- you get this diagnosis. Is there something special you can do does it take money does it take early detection what does it take there's that that's a great question meg and I think there's a couple things first -- talk specifically about Patrick -- he is young he's in his fifties and he's in generally good state of health. That for any patient who is fighting cancer are two very important factors their age at diagnosis and their general condition when they are diagnosed. When it comes specifically to pancreatic cancer that generally the treatment is surgical radiation therapy and chemotherapy and there are new chemotherapy drugs being used. That are very specific at targeting the new blood -- vessels that feed the cancer and we don't know what which type of clinical trial he may be involved with so I think there -- a lot of factors here that right now seem to be working in his -- not -- That there are new drugs that -- working with -- I know that near the hackers in the drug companies are always trying to develop these yeah you know he was diagnosed certainly see it it became public break in March so we're going on ten months now that he's had the disease what what is the in and I don't give any -- these tabloid wrote reports I believe the actor who says -- whenever I -- no reason to -- what he says -- and and -- and no one shot right but but what is the normal and if you get it if you get a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and you don't respond to the treatments. What is the normal prognosis for life. Here's the -- for life it's it's very poor as mean any cancer most of the survival statistics -- we hear about are based on five year survival and that's either clear of disease or -- and -- with disease. For pancreatic cancer as I said there is a huge spectrum it ranges from one in a hundred alive at five years to twenty -- hundred -- at five years depending on how advanced the cancer was when it was diagnosed and again. We are not privy to hit nor should we be to his inside personal information that -- don't know what his -- and I tell you anything that fit that they had he's working twelve hour days make -- a new movie yes he's coming out in an interview with Barbara Walters what we're told later this month I talk about his life in his career and and his struggle with this disease twelve hour days. I get much for anybody -- battling cancer never might pay -- can't absolutely correct and -- tell us something tells us his stamina is -- it tells us he's not actively involved in chemotherapy treatment now that's very debilitating to him and again his nutritional status and general health status are all important as is his state of mind and his mental status and his outlook on life. I think cannot be underestimated for anyone who is battling cancer. That is huge and for all of -- and that's what his doctors and his medical team are going to be telling -- data so -- he came out and said flat out these are wise this is false information in these tabloids -- and it's a laughing his family wants to hear about and is friends I'm sure it's just headlines saying he's dying when in fact he says he's not that's right and we need to be respectful of him at the end of the day even though he is a celebrity and a well known public figure he is an individual living with and dealing with cancer and I think we need to be respectful of them. Right now before I let you down I have to -- the move a little bit and if you -- blonde -- theory there's been blonde -- Kelly's court today and I hear you read a good one I can't wait -- I can't wait to -- yet that's segment -- in the best comment I heard which was attributed to a quote made by Dolly -- I'm not sure that's true is. The quote is. I'm not offended by dumb blonde jokes I know I'm not dumb and I also know I'm not -- act act act act passed by that it's -- he's got one from my want to record this is down in the Washington Debra that he works with perfume. And music is blonde joke was why should -- not be given copy breaks. Why it takes too long to retrain them both. We can use it because we're line there -- so we would have on the other day got."

" why the -- tiptoe past the medicine cabinet."

" Why she -- want to wake up the sleeping tablets. That a tough call a look at the end of the day mega you and I both have our degrees after our names that we can be price exactly headed higher education -- that."