Canadian actor Tyler Mane, 59, best known for playing for playing Sabretooth in X-Men and Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween II, shared his rare breast cancer diagnosis earlier this month on Instagram. In a June 8 video post, the retired professional wrestler vowed to document his treatment journey to raise awareness of breast cancer among men.

 

“Because [breast cancer in men] is rarely talked about, it is usually diagnosed in later stages and has worse outcomes,” said Mane. “I want to change that.”

 

 

Mane’s Instagram announcement read in part:

 

“Yep. I have breast cancer. And yep, it’s super rare. Only 1% of breast cancers are men.

I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to keep it secret. I mean it’s kind of embarrassing. But then I found out that men are more likely to be diagnosed in advance stages BECAUSE it’s not talked about and not looked for. In fact, my doctors all dismissed it and it was only because my wife pushed me to get the lump removed that I got in early.”

 

Like women, men have breast tissue that can develop cancer. Fewer than 1% of breast cancer diagnoses in the United States occur in men; indeed, a man’s average lifetime risk for breast cancer is about one in 755. The American Cancer Society estimates that this year in the United States, 2,670 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and 530 men will die of the malignancy.

 

Early detection and treatment of breast cancer improve outcomes. Men may experience changes in their breast skin and nipples or find a hard lump underneath a nipple; however, owing to a lack of awareness of their risk for breast cancer, men often delay contacting a health professional.

 

The symptoms and treatment of breast cancer are similar in men and women. Read Cancer Health’s Basics on Breast Cancer to learn more.

 

Mane has been updating his followers on his chemotherapy journey, explaining his physical symptoms and emotional state throughout treatment. The caption for Mane’s day 10 chemotherapy update read:

 

“Day 10 of chemo! I’ve definitely hit a tipping point. My coffees finally tasting good again and feeling good. I’m going to try to workout a little harder today and get ready for the next round of chemo to hit it strong! Thanks for all the love. If you are going through something like this we got this together. #staypositive #staystrong #cancerawareness”

 

 

On day 15, Mane shared a video about losing his beard hair, with the following caption:

 

“We knew it was going to happen, but damn. Hair and nails are fast growing cells like tumors and that’s what the chemo targets. Renae showed me pictures from our wedding to remind me that I didn’t ALWAYS have a beard. Sad day for me though. Can’t wait to grow it back!! #chemodiary #cancerawareness #staystrong #serenityprayer”