When X-Men actor and former wrestler Tyler Mane noticed a lump in his chest, he didn’t think much of it. But at his wife’s urging, he went to get it checked. This led to a rare diagnosis and a mission to raise awareness.
Mane revealed in an Instagram post on Monday that he had invasive ductal carcinoma.
Why breast cancer often goes unnoticed in men
Though this is the most common type of breast cancer in men, according to the National Library of Medicine, breast cancer is not generally considered a “male” disease. Part of this is due to statistics, as fewer than 1% of breast cancer cases occur in men, according to the American Cancer Society. The average lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 755 for men, compared to 1 in 8 for women.
Another part is societal. Speaking with NBC News, Dr. Ben Park, director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, said that conversations about breast cancer tend to be viewed through a female lens, or as he put it, “shrouded in pink.” This creates “a perceived stigma for men who get breast cancer because they aren’t really men or aren’t as masculine as they should or could be,” he said.
Both of these factors cause men to rarely talk about their symptoms, which leads to the cancer being found at later stages, resulting in far worse outcomes.
Turning a private diagnosis into public advocacy
Mane himself admitted that after his diagnosis, his first instinct was to “keep it secret” out of embarrassment. But knowing there were others out there who would miss out on similar life-saving treatments, he decided to share his story to raise awareness.
“I really want to say, ‘Check yourselves, men,’” Mane told TODAY. “Becoming an advocate for it is something that I felt that I had to do.”
Mane’s cancer was caught early at Stage 1. Thanks to genetic testing, he also learned that he has a BRCA2 mutation, which increases a person’s risk of developing breast cancer and other cancers.
“I am definitely a mutant,” he joked, making a nod to his Sabretooth character.
Though his surgery successfully removed the tumor, doctors learned that it was fast-growing. So, in addition to taking an estrogen blocker, Mane will undergo both radiation and chemotherapy. He is currently documenting this journey on Instagram and his Mane AF podcast.
He hopes that being transparent about his experience will inspire more men not to wait if they notice something is wrong.
Why his message could resonate with more men
Though one would never wish this illness to befall Mane, there is something hopeful about his unique potential to reach other men who could benefit from an early diagnosis. After all, nobody is arguing over this dude’s masculinity. He’s carved out an entire career from it, playing superhumans, soldiers, slasher villains, and all the rough and rugged stuff cinema has to offer.
In other words, if it can happen to a guy who built a career playing larger-than-life tough guys, it’s a reminder that paying attention to your health has nothing to do with masculinity and everything to do with staying alive.
