Comedian and Actor Alex Duong Dead at 42

Beloved comedian and actor Alex Duong -- who appeared on "Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle" and "Blue Bloods" -- has died after a year-long bout with cancer, TMZ has learned.

Hilarie Steele, a very close friend of the family who was there when he died, tells TMZ ... Alex went into septic shock Friday night and passed away at 11 AM Saturday at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by family and friends.

Last year, Alex was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma -- a rare and aggressive cancer -- after experiencing headaches behind his eye. After a biopsy was performed, the tumor was labeled as extremely aggressive, and Alex ended up with an eye patch and rounds of treatment.

In August, comedians like Ronny Chieng, Atusko Okatsuka and others came together to put on "The Alex Duong Has Cancer In His Eye Comedy Benefit Show" at the Largo in Los Angeles.

And a GoFundMe, set up by Hilarie, was created to help Alex's journey to regain sight. Now, you can donate to the campaign to help his five-year-old daughter, Everest, and wife, Cristina.

Alex was 42.