Thirteen years after surviving neck and throat cancer, two-time Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas, says that dying wasn’t part of his thought process about his disease. In 2010, he was diagnosed with throat cancer.
His diagnosis came after experiencing symptoms for almost a year that were repeatedly misdiagnosed as an infection. Eventually, a biopsy revealed the advanced cancer, and he underwent aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
“I t’s weird, I know, but during the whole period of chemotherapy and radiation, it never crossed my mind that I could die․ My mother was 92 when she died․ “My father, he recently celebrated his 102nd birthday. I have never thought much about death or aging.”
said the star to Paris Match. By 2011, being cancer free, Douglas is positive that the disease is long behind him.
“I check every six months,” he explained of his health checkups. “I believe, and I hope, that I’ve escaped. One thing is certain, my cancer has made me a free man.”
What is the reason for lying about his diagnosis?
In a 2013 interview with actor Samuel L. Jackson, Douglas disclosed that his diagnosis was tongue cancer. “This was right before I had a big tour for Wall Street, so we said, ‘There’s no way we can cancel the tour and say we don’t feel well,‘” said Douglas while explaining his reason for lying about his diagnosis. He said:
“You’ve just got to come out and just tell them I’ve got cancer and that’s it.”
Douglas revealed that’s when his surgeon said: “Let’s just say it’s throat cancer.” Douglas expressed that the primary worry was that, due to the tumor’s size and the advanced stage of the disease, surgery to remove parts of his jaw and tongue would probably be necessary.
He feared this would lead to numerous questions about his prognosis and false reports about potential disfigurement while promoting his new film. Therefore, they decided to keep the truth concealed for a while.
Douglas experienced symptoms for almost a year before receiving a cancer diagnosis. Despite specialists in the United States attributing his symptoms to an infection, it was during a visit to a teaching hospital in Quebec’s Mont-Tremblant, while at his summer home, that a doctor discovered a lump in the back of his throat.
Shortly thereafter, a biopsy confirmed stage 4 tongue cancer, specifically stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma for the actor.
Michael Douglas’ way of giving back
One of Douglas’s significant contributions is his fundraising efforts for the Montreal hospital where his cancer was detected. In 2011, he announced plans to raise funds for McGill University’s head and neck cancer fund.
“I am eternally grateful to the team at McGill for their role in my diagnosis and treatment. This is my way of giving back,” Douglas shared. His commitment to this cause underscores the importance of early detection and specialized care in cancer treatment.
Michael Douglas speaking during the 17th fundraiser for the McGill Head and Neck Cancer Fund. Photo: Howard Kay
Partnership with the Oral Cancer Foundation
Douglas also works closely with the Oral Cancer Foundation, an organization dedicated to reducing suffering and saving lives through prevention, education, research, advocacy, and patient support activities.
He has become a prominent figure in their campaigns, using his platform to spread awareness about oral cancers and the critical role of HPV vaccination in prevention.