Ailing actor Patrick Swayze has prompted fears he's close to the end of his cancer battle, after reportedly turning down life-saving lung surgery.

The Dirty Dancing star was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and has undergone regular bouts of grueling chemotherapy treatment since, in a bid to beat the deadly disease.

Swayze has continued to work on his TV show The Beast, defying a string of news reports that allege he is at death's door.

But a new National Enquirer report suggests the star's medics have been forced to halt his chemotherapy treatment because he's suffering a lung infection.

The tabloid claims Swayze was offered surgery to remove part or all of the infected lung, but he turned down the risky procedure.

A source says, "The infection hadn't responded to treatment, and breathing became so hard for him that his family and friends, and his doctors were desperate to provide any relief.

"But after months of painful treatments and fighting so hard just to get up in the mornings, he felt he had done all he could."

A friend adds, "He's always fought this disease on his terms, and a long, painful recovery was not how he wanted to spend his last days."

Patrick Swayze Photos

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)