Hollywood actor Michael Douglas has revealed his battle against throat cancer was caused by performing oral sex.

The 68-year-old claimed his stage-four cancer was contracted through the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease.

He told the Guardian: "Without wanting to get too specific this particular cancer is caused by HPV."

Douglas said: "I did worry if the stress caused by my son's incarceration didn't help trigger it.

"But yeah, it's a sexually transmitted disease that causes cancer."

Douglas, who is married to Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, said that after "a rough few years" he is "back with a vengeance" and feels "blessed and fortunate to even be alive".