There is a lot of attention given to women and breast cancer, but we forget that men are not excluded from this potential killer.
Take 63-year-old Herb Wagner for example, diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. Wagner went to his family doctor for a cyst on his neck, but as soon as he took his shirt off, the doctor knew something was wrong and he sent Wagner off for a mammogram.
"At the time, you just can't imagine. I mean, it's impossible. It doesn't happen in men. Well, guess what? Yes, it does," said Wagner.
"The inverted nipple was the clue, and the surrounding tissue was firm," said Dr. Robert Blackburn, a family medicine practitioner.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 2,000 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
Signs to watch out for include:
- a lump or swelling in the breast,
- dimpling or puckering of breast skin,
- a nipple that seems to be turning inward,
- redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin, and
- any kind of discharge from the nipple.
About a week after getting the diagnosis, Herb underwent a modified radical mastectomy and removal of five lymph nodes. Now, he is on a crusade to increase awareness and as he explains "men can be tough enough to wear pink."
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