Michael Douglas Admits He Had Tongue Cancer, Not Throat Cancer

Michael Douglas has admitted that he lied about the type of cancer he had, PEOPLE reported Friday.

In August 2010, Douglas informed the public that he was battling stage four throat cancer. He underwent eight weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. However, on Thursday, he shared that he did not tell the full truth about his diagnosis in an interview with Samuel L. Jackson on the U.K. talk show This Morning. He was actually battling throat cancer.

"This was right before I had a big tour for Wall Street, so we said, 'There's no way we can cancel the tour and say we don't feel well,'" Douglas admitted. "I said, 'You've just got to come out and just tell them I've got cancer and that's it.'"

The 69-year-old said that his doctor found a tumor the shape of a walnut on his tongue. He was warned about the negative connotations associated with this particular disease.

"The surgeon said, 'Let's just say it's throat cancer,'" the Last Vegas star said explaining that the doctor told him that if they had to do surgery for tongue cancer "it's not going to be pretty," and that Douglas faced "losing part of his jaw and tongue."