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Doctor responded to Michael Douglas' claim that his cancer was caused by oral sex - he spoke about first symptom he noticed
Three years after his cancer diagnosis in 2010, actor Michael Douglas revealed that the cause of it was oral sex. He has since spent the last decade campaigning about the signs and symptoms of HPV.
The Kominsky Method star was shocked when doctors investigating his persistent sore throat discovered a “walnut-sized tumor” at the base of his tongue.
Douglas believes a certain sex act caused his cancer
Describing a doctor’s appointment, Douglas, 81, said: “I will always remember the look on my friend’s face.
“He said, ‘We need a biopsy.’ There was a walnut-sized tumor at the base of my tongue that no other doctor had seen.”
The actor was quickly diagnosed with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma. Thankfully, after months of aggressive radiation and chemotherapy, he is now cancer-free.
Just a few years after his diagnosis, Douglas sparked conversation when he revealed in an interview with The Guardian that his cancer was directly linked to oral sex.
He claimed that he contracted HPV through cunnilingus. The actor later denied commenting, though the publication stood by its report and released the audio.
A doctor has warned that oral sex is not the only way to contract HPV
Dr Marshall Posner, a Florida-based oncologist, said: "HPV can be spread by any sexual activity, not just oral sex. This virus is transmitted through any contact that spreads body fluids, they can be spread through kissing it can be spread through genital to mouth contact, hand-to-mouth contact.
He also added that people usually contract HPV early in life, but most never develop cancer, and children are widely vaccinated against it, or should be.
In the same video from the Associated Press, Douglas himself urged people to take precautions, saying: "Please the next time you visit your dentist or your medical doctor, ask for this simple screening."
The Oral Cancer Foundation estimates that nearly 48,250 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. By speaking candidly about his own journey, Douglas hopes more people will recognize the warning signs early — and seek prompt, thorough medical evaluation.
Human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted viral infection in the United States, has been proven to cause certain oral cancers and cervical cancer.
Although early detection and vaccination against HPV have led to a drop in cervical cancer in US women, HPV-associated cancer of the tonsils, throat, or back of the tongue has risen significantly in men over the last three decades.
What are the first symptoms of throat cancer?
Here is a list of the most common signs to look out for and seek medical attention for:
- A thickening in the cheek
- A lump on the lip, mouth, neck or throat
- A mouth or lip sore that isn't healing
- A red or white patch found on the gums, tongue, tonsil or mouth lining
- A hoarseness or change in voice
- A persistent sore throat or a feeling that something is stick in your throat
- A numbness of mouth or tongue
- Pain in the jaw or ear
- Pain or bleeding in the mouth
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Chronic bad breath