Douglas didn't blame oral sex for his cancer
Source: Agencies |
June 4, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A representative for actor Michael Douglas now says the actor doesn't blame his throat cancer on oral sex.
The Guardian newspaper published an interview yesterday saying that Douglas attributed his illness to the HPV virus from oral sex. When asked about his cancer, Douglas said "without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV (human papillomavirus), which actually comes from cunnilingus."
But spokesman Allen Burry said later that Douglas never said that was the cause of his cancer that was diagnosed in 2010. He said Douglas was discussing what causes oral cancer during the interview.
Health officials say smoking and alcohol are the main causes of oral cancer. The human papillomavirus, however, has been linked to one kind of throat cancer.
The 68-year-old Douglas has been free of cancer for more than two years after receiving extensive chemotherapy and has returned to acting.
Douglas has starred in many movies, including "Basic Instinct" and "Fatal Attraction." He is currently appearing in an acclaimed biopic about Liberace.
He told the newspaper his cancer had been caused by having contracted HPV, which he said led to cancer. "It's a sexually transmitted disease," Douglas said of the virus.
Dr Michael Brady, who specializes in sexual health as medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said that oral sex could have contributed to Douglas's cancer but that it was difficult to pinpoint a single cause.
He said that Douglas had been a smoker and a drinker, two factors that he said are the most common causes of oral cancer.
Brady said there are hundreds of different types of HPV virus and that in most cases it is not harmful. The risk is so low, he said, that he does not believe people should worry or change their sexual practices.
The Guardian newspaper published an interview yesterday saying that Douglas attributed his illness to the HPV virus from oral sex. When asked about his cancer, Douglas said "without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV (human papillomavirus), which actually comes from cunnilingus."
But spokesman Allen Burry said later that Douglas never said that was the cause of his cancer that was diagnosed in 2010. He said Douglas was discussing what causes oral cancer during the interview.
Health officials say smoking and alcohol are the main causes of oral cancer. The human papillomavirus, however, has been linked to one kind of throat cancer.
The 68-year-old Douglas has been free of cancer for more than two years after receiving extensive chemotherapy and has returned to acting.
Douglas has starred in many movies, including "Basic Instinct" and "Fatal Attraction." He is currently appearing in an acclaimed biopic about Liberace.
He told the newspaper his cancer had been caused by having contracted HPV, which he said led to cancer. "It's a sexually transmitted disease," Douglas said of the virus.
Dr Michael Brady, who specializes in sexual health as medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said that oral sex could have contributed to Douglas's cancer but that it was difficult to pinpoint a single cause.
He said that Douglas had been a smoker and a drinker, two factors that he said are the most common causes of oral cancer.
Brady said there are hundreds of different types of HPV virus and that in most cases it is not harmful. The risk is so low, he said, that he does not believe people should worry or change their sexual practices.
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