Back in 2010, Michael Douglas was diagnosed with stage four squamous cell carcinoma oral cancer.The actor had spent months with persistent throat and ear pain before a tumour was found. His wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones was ‘furious’ with doctors that it wasn’t detected earlier.Mouth cancer can be more likely for those who smoke or chew tobacco or drink a lot of alcohol. But in 2013, in a bid to raise awareness, Douglas decided to open up about what was believed to be the cause of his diagnosis – oral sex.The Basic Instinct actor claimed he had contracted human papillomavirus (HPV), which the NHS explains can be linked to cases of mouth cancer.He became a bit of a poster boy for speaking out about HPV. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for TCM)”Without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV (human papillomavirus), which actually comes about from cunnilingus,” Douglas explained to The Guardian.The now 81-year-old went through a ‘s**t-pot of chemo and radiation’ which ‘made him very weak’ but ultimately saved his life.

But Zeta-Jones, who he married in 2000, was angry that it had taken so long for him to be diagnosed.Douglas had spent months seeking medical attention for his symptoms, only to be told nothing was wrong until the tumour was eventually found.”It makes me furious they didn’t detect it earlier,” she told People magazine at the time. “He sought every option and nothing was found.”The Chicago actor spoke of the pain of watching her husband struggling and going through chemotherapy and radiation.”I know maybe I should be stronger, but emotionally I just don’t want to see that,” she added.In 2015, Douglas said he regretted the embarrassment caused to Zeta-Jones by the revelation performing oral sex may have caused his cancer.