Tyler Mane, the actor who played Sabretooth in X-Men and reprised the role in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine, shocked fans last month when he revealed he has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The actor gave an update earlier this week on his Instagram page, explaining that he was on "Round 2 day 16 of chemotherapy" and gave insight into the side effects of his treatment revealing: "This makes you appreciate your health."
In early July he wrote of his treatment, "So far so good. I’m expecting a little dip once the steroids wear off again but I'm trying to prepare for it better this round. I got two more after this round to figure it out. Ugh! Thank you so much for all the love and well wishes."
When he announced he had been diagnosed, not only did the 59-year-old explain that he had started chemotherapy, but he also used the opportunity to raise awareness that men can also develop the disease.
"One in 750 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and I’m one of them," the actor, who has since lost his beard during treatment, explained in a video shared on social media.
Tyler admitted his initial instinct was to keep the diagnosis private because he found it "kind of embarrassing", but he changed his mind after discovering that many men are diagnosed at advanced stages simply because male breast cancer is rarely discussed.
© Getty ImagesThe actor's diagnosis - along with other high profile cases such as Beyoncé's father Matthew Knowles, who was diagnosed in 2019 - serves as a vital reminder of the importance of early detection in cancer, particularly breast cancer. Although male breast cancer accounts for just 1% to 1.5% of all cases, specialists agree that raising awareness is essential.
Detecting it early truly can save lives. In both the US and the UK, nearly half of all male breast cancer cases are only caught when the tumor is already advanced or has spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit - meaning the prognosis is inevitably worse.
One in every 100 breast cancers is diagnosed in men
That said, Dr Miguel Martín, Head of Oncology at Madrid's Gregorio Marañón Hospital and an international expert in breast cancer, explains that due to the widespread belief that breast cancer is exclusive to women, "male breast cancer is far harder to diagnose early. Furthermore, because it is so rare, there have been no major interventional studies into the disease, meaning its treatment is largely adapted from our knowledge of female breast cancer."
The silent signs of male breast cancer every man should know
The most common symptom of breast cancer in men is a painless lump in the chest area. Precisely because it doesn't cause any discomfort, it is often ignored for weeks or even months.
Other warning signs can include:
- Unusual enlargement of the breast tissue
- Changes to the skin on the breast
- A dimpled or retracted nipple, nipple discharge or subtle changes to its usual appearance.
Self-checks are essential and specialists recommend seeing a doctor about any noticeable changes, especially if they persist.
Debunking the myths about breast cancer and men
The idea that breast cancer only affects women is still incredibly widespread. However, men have breast tissue too, meaning they can also develop tumours in this area.
"While breast cancer in men is far less common because their hormonal makeup is different and they don't experience the same oestrogen cycles as women, approximately one in every 100 breast cancers occurs in men," explains oncologist and breast cancer specialist Dr Rodrigo Sánchez Bayona, scientific secretary of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM).
Because male breast cancer is so rare, when a man detects a lump, they may put it down to a cyst, an infection or just a minor abnormality before ever considering a more serious condition
The main issue is that many men don't even realise it's a possibility. This false sense of security is one of the key reasons why the disease is often not detected until much later.
What causes breast cancer in men? The hidden risk factors
Although it is a rare condition, specialists have identified several factors that can increase the risk of it developing.
© Getty ImagesAs Dr Manel Esteller, director of the Cancer Epigenetics Group at the Hospital de Sant Pau and professor of Genetics at the University of Barcelona, emphasises that the disease typically affects older men and is often linked to higher exposure or sensitivity to oestrogens - the sex hormones that are also present in men, albeit in much smaller amounts than in women.
In some cases, he adds, an underlying hormonal imbalance can act as an early warning sign. "Gynaecomastia - an enlargement of male breast tissue - can be tied to hormonal changes that warrant further investigation," the expert notes.
In men, cases are often only detected once the disease has reached an advanced stage or spread to the lymph nodes
While age and certain hormonal imbalances are known risk factors, conditions like obesity, exposure to ionising radiation, liver diseases such as cirrhosis, and genetic disorders like Klinefelter syndrome (which affects testosterone production) have also been linked to an increased risk of developing the disease, according to the Male Breast Cancer Patients' Association (INVI).
However, experts stress that many patients do not have any of these risk factors, meaning no man should consider himself completely risk-free.
TThe role of the BRCA2 gene mutation in male breast cancer
If there is one distinct difference between male and female breast cancer, it is the role that genetics plays. While roughly 5% of cases in women have a genetic link, that figure rises to between 15% and 20% in men.
"Sometimes we see a stronger family history of the disease, and this is usually down to mutations in genes such as BRCA2," explains Esteller. These inherited mutations increase the risk of developing various types of cancer and help explain why the genetic factor is more significant in men than in women.
© Getty ImagesThis view is shared by Dr Isabel Calvo, a medical oncologist at the Breast Unit of MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid-Hospiten. "Many of these cases are linked to mutations such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, which are the most well-known inherited alterations associated with breast cancer," she says, adding that "while not all cases are hereditary, it is far more common than it is in women."
Because of this, oncologists recommend that these patients undergo genetic testing and that their relatives are evaluated too, as this information can be vital for sons and daughters alike.
Why male breast cancer is frequently diagnosed too late
Unlike women, men do not often take part in routine breast screening programmes. This means diagnosis almost always relies on the patient noticing a change himself and making an appointment to see his GP.
The difference between men's prognoses and women's lies in the timing of the diagnosis, rather than the aggressiveness of the tumour itself, says Dr Isabel Calvo.
"Most of the time, the prognosis isn't worse simply because the patient is male," clarifies Dr Calvo. "What actually happens is that it is usually diagnosed later because men don't have routine mammograms. The tumour is often only discovered when they physically feel a lump."
How is male breast cancer treated?
Broadly speaking, the disease is treated in exactly the same way as it is in women. "We use the same chemotherapy and hormone therapy treatments," explains Dr Calvo.
© Getty ImagesDr Sánchez Bayona agrees that "the approach is currently very similar," largely because there are still no male-specific clinical trials to help establish distinct differences in treatment.
However, researchers have discovered that male tumours possess their own distinct biological traits. For instance, roughly 90% are hormone receptor-positive tumours - a higher proportion than is typically seen in women.
Because of this, a growing number of experts argue that the disease needs to be studied in its own right, rather than simply being treated as a male version of female breast cancer.
Historically, male breast cancer has remained virtually invisible. This lack of awareness doesn't just hold back research; it deeply affects how patients experience the illness. Many men still delay speaking out because of the stigma.
© GC ImagesThis is precisely why high-profile disclosures such as that of X-Men actor Tyler Mane are so incredibly valuable. By opening up about his diagnosis, he helped shine a spotlight on a condition that is rarely discussed.
As he stated in his July 1 Instagram update, "The majority of this battle is one's head so thank you for all the positive vibes. Please share like and follow this crazy journey. Hopefully we can help others with their battles."
