Michael Douglas never expected to become a poster boy for head and neck cancer.
But he is glad that his recent dispute with a U.K. newspaper over comments he made about what caused his oropharyngeal cancer has helped raise public awareness, according to a story on the Oral Cancer Foundation website.
In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Douglas said his cancer was caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). However, Douglas' spokesman later said that he was talking in general, not personal, terms, and that HPV didn't cause his cancer.
Douglas has since denied blaming his throat cancer specifically on oral sex, but the Guardian posted an audio clip of the interview on its website that included this quote from Douglas: "Without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV, which actually comes about from cunnilingus."
