Michael Douglas’ throat cancer could leave actor mute

[HMG] – We reported earlier this week that Michael Douglas is now fighting cancer. But experts now say this particular version could cost the Oscar-winning actor his voice.

A smoker for decades, Mr. Douglas, 65, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his throat. His doctors have since begun a ‘synchronous’ therapy, which involves surgery, followed by eight-weeks of chemotherapy and radiation to kill any remnants.

The Mail says his doctors regard the tumor’s advanced stage ‘quite frightening.’ They expect he will make a full recovery, but have warned Douglas that destroying the tumor may harm his voice.

And the Doctors still won’t say what type of cancer it is. And that’s worrying — if the tumor is in the vocal chords his chances of survival after five years are around 60%. Or 80% if it was caught early.

But if it’s throat cancer the 5-year survival rate is just 5-percent.

“Smoking probably caused the cancer. But the fact he’s getting radiation means it’s curable,” Dr. Kenneth Hu, co-director of the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York told Good Morning America. “It tells you that it’s probably an intermediate stage cancer.”

Michael’s co-star in ‘Wall Street II,’ Shia LaBeouf described Douglas as ‘a broken man’ during filming last September. But Douglas’ publicist says his client is facing the illness ‘full of positive energy and is being supported 100% by his wife.’

Mr. Douglas has since quit the huge publicity tour for the movie, which opens next month, and is now thought to be with his wife of ten years, Catherine Zeta Jones at their Summer home in Bermuda.

Their two children, Dylan, aged 10, and 7-year old Carys are also there. Due to his work, Douglas was often an absentee father but says that will now change

“I didn’t feel when I was younger I had the choice to put family ahead of my career,” he told reporters earlier this year. “But as you get older you have to take control of your time because that is all you’ve got left.”

The treatment he faces is challenging, and painful — Mr. Douglas is likely to be left with several sores in his mouth which can make swallowing food or drink very hard. And he could still lose the ability to speak.

We’ll keep you advised as more news arrives…