Val Kilmer acknowledges cancer battle after year of denials

Los Angeles: Actor Val Kilmer has confirmed that he battled cancer after months of denying that he was suffering from any serious health issues. During an online Reddit Ask Me Anything session with fans, the 57-year-old actor revealed that he is recovering from the disease, reported People magazine. "A while ago, Michael Douglas claimed you had terminal cancer.

What was the story behind that?" a fan asked. To which Kilmer replied, "He was probably trying to help me because press probably asked where I was these days, and I did have a healing of cancer, but my tongue is still swollen although healing all the time. "Because I don't sound my normal self yet people think I may still be under the weather."

Last year, Kilmer assured fans that he was not suffering from cancer. He told his Facebook followers that Douglas was misinformed. "The last time I spoke to him (Douglas) was almost two years ago, when I asked him for a referral for a specialist to get a diagnosis for a lump in my throat, which prevented me from continuing a tour of my play Citizen Twain. "I ended up using a team at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) and have no cancer whatsoever. I still have a swollen tongue and am rehabbing steadily," Kilmer said at the time.