VIDEO: Michael Douglas on His Cancer Battle — "It's Been a Wild Six-Month Ride"

Michael Douglas has a new appreciation for life. The Oscar-winning actor looked healthy and strong in his first TV interview since he began treatment for Stage 4 throat cancer. He spoke candidly about his courageous battle, telling Today's Matt Lauer proudly, "I’ve got it beat.”

“The tumor is gone. But, you know, I have to check out on a monthly basis now to maintain,” he explains. “I guess there’s not a total euphoria. I’ll probably take a couple of months of getting checked out. But it’s been a wild six-month ride.”

Michael told Matt his sickness brought him closer with his family and has given him a fresh perspective.

"It gave me a really new appreciation of just how valuable, how precious good friends are and family," the Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps star shared. "And it's not that I disregarded them before, but there's a much deeper feeling. And I've talked to other cancer survivors about this, that -- that happens, that you just really, really appreciate what's important in life."

Michael is eager to return to work, gearing up for his role in the Steven Soderbergh directed Liberace — a biopic about the famous entertainer — beginning filming.

Catch the clip below.

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