In his own words, he is a 'miracle man' who is fighting a winning battle against pancreatic cancer. But that still hasn't stopped actor Patrick Swayze from puffing on cigarettes between breaks from shooting his latest TV show.

The Dirty Dancing star was given just weeks to live after being diagnosed with the disease in January but quickly set about returning to work, where he has looked anything but a man facing a death sentence.

But our pictures show Swayze hasn't been able to kick his smoking habit. The actor openly smoked on the Chicago set of The Beast, in which he plays an FBI agent.

Still puffing: Cancer-stricken actor Patrick Swayze smokes in between takes of The Beast

Since his diagnosis at the beginning of the year, Swayze is thought to have undergone radical chemotherapy.

The 55-year-old recently branded himself  'a miracle', for surviving the past five months after doctors diagnosed him with the disease.

The Hollywood star was joined on the set of the A&E drama by his wife Lisa Niemi.

The actor has been filming a TV series in which he plays an FBI agent

In The Beast, Swayze will play an unorthodox FBI agent being pursued by a secret Internal Affairs team.  The series is expected to air in the U.S. next year.

Gaunt: Patrick Swayze pictured shortly after his cancer diagnosis