Michael Douglas recalls stage-four tongue cancer and says he urged dentists to check for tumours

What was said

"It was tongue cancer but because um this was the doctor um said look we hope we hope you know it's stage four."

Michael Douglas says he had stage-four tongue cancer and recalls being told his treatment would rely on chemotherapy and radiation. He says he later used his experience to push a public-health message encouraging dentists to check the back of patients’ tongues for tumours, adding that media coverage also focused on HPV in a way he felt became crudely simplified.