The announcement that actor Michael Douglas has been diagnosed with throat cancer has spotlighted an illness thats both highly preventable and occasionally difficult to treat.
Nonetheless, the Academy-Award winner, 65, said in a brief statement, I am optimistic. Douglass next movie, Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, is being released next month. Douglas, whos married to Catherine Zeta Jones, again portrays Gordon Gekko, the classic character whose motto was Greed is Good.
The diagnosis hasnt been the only bad news this year for Douglas, whose son Cameron pleaded guilty to dealing cocaine and methamphetamine.
Throat cancer is actually an overall term for malignancies that can occur in several parts of the throat, such as the oropharynx, the part of the throat thats directly behind the mouth and includes the tonsils; and the hypopharynx, the lower part of the throat, just above the windpipe. Other types can occur in the vocal cords and the voice box. Its not clear exactly where Douglass cancer is.
But no matter where it occurs in the throat, the risk factors for the condition are identical. Experts say the biggest risk factor is the frequent use of alcohol and tobacco (both cigarettes and chewing tobacco are dangerous). Other causes include the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and, according to the Mayo Clinic, poor dental hygiene and a diet lacking in fruits and vegetables. Douglas is well-known for his alcohol use and for his smoking habit, but hes been tobacco-free for some time.
