Dirty Dancing film star Patrick Swayze has died aged 57, after battling pancreatic cancer for two years, his publicist Annett Wolf reported Tuesday.

Swayze was diagnosed with advanced stage four pancreatic cancer in January last year, the BBC reported.

The actor had been starring in US TV show The Beast since being diagnosed with the disease. He had also planned to write a memoir with his wife.

Jennifer Grey, who co-starred with Swayze in Dirty Dancing, said in a statement: "Patrick was a rare and beautiful combination of raw masculinity and amazing grace. Gorgeous and strong, he was a real cowboy with a tender heart.

In January, Swayze admitted he might only have two years to live, but denied he was near death.

In a US TV interview, he admitted he was "scared" and "going through hell".

"Am I dying? Am I giving up? Am I on my death bed? Am I saying goodbye to people? No way," Swayze told TV interviewer Barbara Walters.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most virulent forms of cancer which medical experts say has a 5% five-year survival rate.

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