Actor Micheal Douglas Links Throat Cancer To Past Sexual Exploits

DETROIT (WWJ) - Hollywood actor Michael Douglas raising some eyebrows, after claiming his throat cancer was caused his past sexual exploits.

Michael Douglas says his 2010 throat cancer is a result of contracting the HPV virus by performing oral sex on women reports WWJ Health Reporter Sean Lee.

Doctor Jan Akervall is a head and neck cancer specialist at Beaumont Health System.

He says although there are other risk factors for the disease, having multiple sex partners raises the risk for the type of cancer Douglas had.

"We're pretty straightforward, when we find the virus in the tumor, we say that this is the cause of it. We are on the other hand we are a little bit cautious to say how this virus got there," said Dr. Akervall.

"It's more in men then in women," he added. "The major cause today is HPV and , yes, there is a link to oral sex and multiple partners."

Doctor Akervall says once diagnosed, treatment options for throat cancer give most patients a five-year survival rate of eight-five percent.