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Michael Douglas faces "an eight-week struggle" against throat cancer, he has told talk show host David Letterman.

The Wall Street actor said a biopsy had revealed he had "stage four cancer", which, he said, was "intense and so they've had to go at it".

Douglas, who was diagnosed three weeks ago, said on Letterman's Late Show that he had finished the first week of two months' radiation and chemotherapy.

He said he remains hopeful and has an 80% or better chance of recovery.

The cancer remained above the neck which meant "expectations are good", he said.

"I would hate to say, but right now, it looks like it should be 80% and, with certain hospitals and everything, it does improve."

Douglas said he had a series of tests in the early summer after complaining of a sore throat, but they revealed nothing.

After a summer break, the actor - who has two young children with wife Catherine Zeta Jones - had a biopsy which revealed advanced cancer.

He said he felt frustrated doctors had not found anything earlier "because I was on it early in the summer and started complaining about something, but they couldn't see it then".

Last week, lawyers for Douglas and his ex-wife, Diandra Douglas, clashed in court over her demand for half of his earnings from the forthcoming Wall Street film.

In their 2000 divorce settlement, she was granted a share in proceeds from the actor's work while they were together.

As a result, she wants earnings from the new movie because he reprises the role of Gordon Gekko from the 1987 original.

A New York judge has not set a date for a ruling in the case.