Everything Val Kilmer said about his throat cancer battle before his death at 65: ‘It’s an obstacle’

throat cancer years before he died at 65 from pneumonia on Tuesday.Kilmer received his initial diagnosis in 2014 but was cancer-free by 2021.

However, Kilmer’s treatment, which included chemotherapy, radiation and two tracheotomies, permanently affected his health.The movie star opened up about his health battle over the years, including in his 2021 documentary “Val.”Here’s everything Kilmer said about his throat cancer battle.It was first reported by TMZ in January 2015 that Kilmer was taken to the hospital after he began bleeding from his throat and was diagnosed with a throat tumor.

But Kilmer said in a statement at the time, “I have not had a tumor, or a tumor operations, or any operation. I had a complication where the best way to receive care was to stay under the watchful eye of the UCLA ICU.”In October 2016, Kilmer’s “The Ghost and the Darkness” co-star Michael Douglas revealed that Kilmer had cancer — which the actor initially denied.“I love Michael Douglas, but he is misinformed,” Kilmer wrote on Facebook.

He also told his fans that Douglas “wrote me a nice note apologizing” for what he said.Kilmer finally confirmed his diagnosis in a Reddit AMA in April 2017.In response to a question about Douglas’ comment, Kilmer wrote, “He was probably trying to help me cause press probably asked where I was these days, and I did have a healing of cancer, but my tongue is still swollen altho healing all the time.