RIP Patrick Swayze
US actor Patrick Swayze has died after a long battle with cancer.
Swayze's publicist Annett Wolf said the actor died on Monday with his family at his side
He came forward about his illness in March 2008, but continued working as he underwent treatment.
Swayze, 57, became a star in 1987 with his performance in Dirty Dancing, a coming-of-age story set in a Catskills resort in New York.
The 1990 film Ghost cemented his status as a screen favourite.
Swayze played a murdered man trying to communicate with his fiancee through a spirit played by Whoopi Goldberg.
He also starred in Road House.
He continued working even after it was disclosed he had the particularly deadly form of cancer.
He most recently starred in a US crime drama called The Beast, in which he played a rogue FBI agent in Chicago.
He was married to Lisa Niemi for 34 years. The couple did not have children.
Swayze had reportedly started preparing himself for death by saying goodbye to his friends and family after discovering the disease had spread.
A source told National Enquirer magazine: "Patrick recently got word that the cancer had spread to his liver and that is what his doctors said would begin the countdown to the end. Patrick knew it was coming because he was suffering increased weakness.
"At times, he was so weak that he could barely walk without feeling faint. Sometimes he feels out of breath and has to sit down."
Swayze had reportedly told his wife and his brother Donny that he did not have long to live.
The source added: "Lisa phoned Donny in Los Angeles and told him he need to come to Chicago, where Patrick has been filming TV show The Beast. She was crying and scared Donny to death.
"Donny got the impression his brother was already on his deathbed because Lisa was saying Patrick wanted to say goodbye. She couldn't stop crying."
Swayze has been undergoing pioneering Cyberknife radiotherapy at California's Stanford University Medical Centre, and had been making a steady recovery from the illness.
Several of Swayze 19s acting colleagues reacted to news of his death by posting online tributes.
Ashton Kutcher, who is married to Swayze 19s Ghost co-star Demi Moore, wrote a short message on his Twitter account a short time ago: 18 18RIP P Swayze 19 19.
Kutcher also posted a link to a video of Swayze dancing in a segment for Saturday Night Live.
Actress Alyssa Milano wrote: 18 18RIP Patrick. You were a great talent. And more importantly... a true gentleman. 19 19
Denise Richards said the Hollywood star was brave in fighting 18 18an awful devastating disease with such dignity and grace".
Fans also flooded Twitter with their personal tributes and memories of Swayze.
Countless references to Dirty Dancing in the minutes after news of Swayze 19s death broke have made it one of the hot 18 18trending topics 19 19 on Twitter this morning.
smh.com.au and AP