He's the star of one of this year's most hotly anticipated films, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and now he's facing one of the toughest challenges of his career. Michael Douglas announced today that he has been diagnosed with throat cancer.
The Oscar-winning 65-year-old actor, known for his roles in hit films like Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct is set to begin a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy aimed at neutralising a tumour in his throat. His condition may be complicated by the fact that he has smoked heavily for most of his life, but doctors say that it's too early for a clear prognosis at this stage. If the tumour is not very advanced, it may be relatively easy to deal with.
Douglas has just completed work in a supporting role in Steven Soderbergh thriller Haywire. Because throat cancer treatment can damage the voicebox, it is uncertain whether or not he will be able to continue acting even if he makes a full recovery. He lives in Bermuda with his wife Catherine Zeta Jones and their two children, Dylan and Carys.
