Is Michael Douglas' throat cancer curable?
The trouble with conventional treatments. Across the board, allopathic oncologists (conventional cancer doctors) recommend chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to advanced stage throat cancer patients. Michael Douglas didn't mention surgery, but he's already undergoing a grueling eight-week treatment of radiation and chemotherapy.
What kind of cancer did Doug Douglas have?
Douglas appears to have had a large tumor -- too large to remove by surgery. His throat cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, had reached a dangerously late stage. Unfortunately, oropharyngeal cancer is becoming more and more common. Smoking, and, to a lesser extent, drinking are risk factors for the disease.
Did Michael Douglas have surgery?
Michael Douglas didn't mention surgery, but he's already undergoing a grueling eight-week treatment of radiation and chemotherapy. It pains me to think that Mr. Douglas chose the conventional healing route so fast, without considering alternatives.
What are the treatment options for throat cancer?
Across the board, allopathic oncologists (conventional cancer doctors) recommend chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to advanced stage throat cancer patients. Michael Douglas didn't mention surgery, but he's already undergoing a grueling eight-week treatment of radiation and chemotherapy.
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Is Stage 3 throat cancer curable?
Stage III cancer can be considered “early” if it is small and involves only a single lymph node, which can be surgically removed or treated with radiation with a high probability of cure.
What is the main treatment for throat cancer?
For small throat cancers or throat cancers that haven't spread to the lymph nodes, radiation therapy may be the only treatment necessary. For more-advanced throat cancers, radiation therapy may be combined with chemotherapy or surgery.
What is survival rate for throat cancer?
Survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed....Glottis (part of the larynx including the vocal cords)SEER stage5-year relative survival rateAll SEER stages combined77%3 more rows•Mar 1, 2022
Did Michael Douglas have chemotherapy?
Douglas was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 and underwent two months of chemotherapy and radiation. He remains cancer-free, but has checkups often to catch any recurrence, he told the paper.
Does throat cancer spread quickly?
Throat cancer is a rare form of cancer that develops in the throat, larynx or tonsils. Some of its most common symptoms include a persistent sore throat and/or cough, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, ear pain and a neck mass. It can develop quickly, which is why early diagnosis is key to successful treatment.
What are the side effects of radiation therapy for throat cancer?
Common side effects depend on where the radiation is aimed and can include:Skin problems in the area being treated, ranging from redness to blistering and peeling.Mouth sores.Dry mouth.Worsening of hoarseness.Trouble swallowing.Change of taste.Possible breathing trouble from swelling.Tiredness.More items...
What is the main cause of throat cancer?
Tobacco use (in any form) and excessive alcohol consumption are the two greatest risk factors for developing throat cancer. Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is increasingly linked to throat cancer as well, especially in younger people.
Can you live 10 years with throat cancer?
For all head and neck cancer subtypes, one-year survival falls between 1 and 5 years after diagnosis, though the gradient of the fall varies between subtypes. For most head and neck cancer subtypes, one-year survival falls between 5 and 10 years after diagnosis.
Is throat cancer a death sentence?
While the overall survival rate for patients with late-stage throat cancers is about 50 percent to 60 percent, that number rises to 80 percent in patients with HPV-related tumors, O'Malley said. It's not clear which form of the cancer, Douglas, 66, has been battling.
What is squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth?
Oral cancer forms when cells on the lips or in the mouth mutate. Most often they begin in the flat, thin cells that line your lips and the inside of your mouth. These are called squamous cells. Small changes to the DNA of the squamous cells make the cells grow abnormally.
Did Michael Douglas have a feeding tube?
I had been given a choice of having a feeding tube put in my stomach, which would have had consequences for swallowing and taste later on or refusing that and dealing with that as best I could, which is what I did. And I did lose 40 pounds as a result.
Who is Michael Douglas married to?
Catherine Zeta‑Jonesm. 2000Diandra Lukerm. 1977–2000Michael Douglas/Spouse
How long did Scott have radiation?
Six weeks of radiation -- 31 days to be exact -- have left Scott with what he describes as a "wooden neck," no taste buds and a sore throat that makes swallowing anything firmer than an avocado a living hell. But he hoped his story might shed light on what lies ahead for Douglas and perhaps help prepare other throat cancer survivors.
How long does it take Scott to swallow clam chowder?
Most of his diet is liquid and the blender, he says, "is my best friend.". Scott pulverizes clam chowder, but it takes him 40 minutes to swallow it down a throat that feels as narrow as a pea. Canker sores fill his mouth, and Scott's sense of taste is also distorted.
What caused Michael Douglas' lump under his jaw?
Michael Douglas on Alcohol-Cancer Link. Ron Claiborne takes a look at the disease the actor is suffering from. Sept. 3, 2010— -- Scott, a 66-year-old high-tech consultant from Silicon Valley, thought the small lump he detected under his jaw line while shaving about two years ago was caused by allergies.
What is the cancer on Scott's tongue?
Doctors eventually discovered the small growth on the back of his tongue was throat cancer. The growth was in the same location as that of 65-year-old actor Michael Douglas.. Scott didn't want his last name used and at first was hesitant to talk about his grueling cancer treatment, which just ended Aug. 23. "I have a clear sense that some of my ...
Why did Scott have a lump in his throat?
At first, doctors agreed with Scott that the lump he found might be due to allergies. After a course of medicine and antibiotics, Scott's lymph node swelling went away. But when it came back, his ear nose and throat specialist noted, "That really shouldn't be there.". For six weeks, specialists stuck him with biopsy needles, took x-rays and MRIs, ...
How many cases of pharyngeal cancer in 2010?
There were 12,660 new cases of pharyngeal cancers in 2010, the kind both Douglas and Scott have; 2,410 of those people die annually. Risk factors include tobacco and alcohol use, which may be related to Douglas' cancer, and the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is the cause of Scott's disease. At first, doctors agreed with Scott ...
Why did Scott survive?
Part of the reason that Scott says he was able to survive treatment was that he continued to work, never missing a day, though he admits to sneaking in an occasional nap. Adding to Scott's misery are the medical bills, which have been piling up. Medicare and supplemental insurance only cover part of his treatment.
How often does Michael Douglas get physicals?
As Douglas told Lauer, he will get physical exams every month. Every six to 12 months, the scans will be repeated. Douglas appears to have had a large tumor -- too large to remove by surgery. His throat cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, had reached a dangerously late stage.
Is oropharyngeal cancer more common?
Unfortunately, oropharyngeal cancer is becoming more and more common. Smoking, and, to a lesser extent, drinking are risk factors for the disease. But the disease also is caused by HPV, the sexually transmitted virus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer.
Is HPV related oropharyngeal cancer curable?
HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, Har-El says, tends to be more readily curable. The bad news, Douglas says, is that his salivary glands aren't working properly. Radiation treatment for oropharyngeal cancer kills the tumor but also blasts the salivary glands.
What is the response rate for throat cancer?
The good news is that there is an 80 percent treatment response rate for this type of cancer, Siegel noted. "It's much more responsive than any other throat cancer. If the cancer is due to smoking or alcohol, the ballgame is over practically.
Is Michael Douglas' throat cancer caused by oral sex?
MONDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Hollywood star Michael Douglas says oral sex caused his recent bout with throat cancer. "Without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV, ...
What caused Michael Douglas' throat cancer?
Michael Douglas's announcement that his throat cancer was caused by human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease, has raised awareness about a men's health trend doctors have been alarmed about for years. Douglas, the 68-year-old star of the new Liberace biopic "Behind the Candelabra," told The Guardian in an interview when asked ...
Why did Michael Douglas not smoke?
Douglas, the 68-year-old star of the new Liberace biopic "Behind the Candelabra," told The Guardian in an interview when asked if he regretted his drinking and smoking habits in light of his cancer battle, that he did not, in part because his disease was caused by oral sex. "No.
What is throat cancer?
Throat cancer, also known as oropharyngeal cancer, refers to tumors that occur in the tonsils, base of the tongue and upper throat. Smoking and alcohol use have been associated risk factors, but in recent years throat cancers related to the sexually transmitted virus human papillomavirus (HPV) have been on the rise.
Does smoking and drinking cause throat cancer?
He said if you smoke and drink, there is some data to suggest this will increase throat cancer risk in people with oral HPV.
Can throat cancer be caused by HPV?
Mumtaz Khan, a head and neck cancer surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, said to CBSNews.com. Not everyone with HPV will develop oral cancer though.
Is throat cancer more common in men than women?
Genden said HPV-related throat cancers are now more common in men than cervical cancer -- which is caused by the same virus -- in women. These cancers are also more commonly found in younger populations, adults between ages 40 and 65, a group typically younger than those affected by smoking-related throat cancers.
How much weight did Michael Douglas lose?
He had complained about health problems for nine months before he had been diagnosed with cancer, he said in a May interview with New York magazine. He lost 45 pounds while ill. In Jan. 2011, Douglas said he was cancer-free after battling the disease for six months, with radiation treatments and chemotherapy.
