Beyonce's father, Mathew Knowles, talks about his breast cancer diagnosis
What's the story
The father and former manager of singers Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Solange Knowles, Mathew Knowles, has come forward with his battle against male breast cancer. The 67-year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year and has since been receiving treatment for it. Since male breast cancer remains largely unheard of due to stigma, Mr. Knowles hopes to bring this cause to the fore.
Diagnosis
Knowles noticed dots of blood on shirt; visited doctor
Knowles started noticing recurring dots of blood on his shirt and sheets, he told Good Morning America on Wednesday. In July, he went to see a doctor and a mammogram, an ultrasound, and a needle biopsy confirmed that he had breast cancer. His wife, Gena, went with him to see the doctor and he immediately called his children and ex-wife, Tina, after the diagnosis.
Quote
'Why me? Why would I get this?'
Speaking to GMA interviewer Michael Strahan, Knowles revealed that his immediate reaction to the results was, "Why me?" He said, "Of all the things I could get, why would I get this?" Evidently, breast cancer is uncommon among men.
Treatment
Knowles to have second breast removed in January next year
He said, "My dermatologist removed 2 moles- both of which came back benign for melanoma." He will have his second breast removed in January to have his risk of cancer reduced from 5%, which is now, to 2%. Knowles also got an MRI for pancreatic cancer and the results came back fine. He is now waiting for his test results for prostate cancer.
Quote
Men want to keep it hidden; we feel embarrassed: Knowles
On the stigma, Knowles told GMA, "Men want to keep it hidden because we feel embarrassed- and there's no reason for that." "The numbers we have on men and breast cancer are not adequate because we don't have enough men that come forward, that take the exam," Knowles said, urging male breast cancer survivors to come forward and contribute to better statistics and research.
Statistics
After breast-cancer diagnosis, men have 19% higher mortality than women
Notably, according to BreastCancer.org, only 1% of breast cancer patients are men. Additionally, men have a 1 in 833 lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. However, men are 19% more likely to die 3-5 years after being diagnosed with breast cancer as compared to women, a study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported.
Mutation
BRCA1, BRCA2 genes present in men and women; risks vary
Men and women have both BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, only the risk attached to a mutation in both genes is different for different genders. For men, mutations can mean a higher risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer as well as pancreatic cancer and melanoma. For women, there is a higher risk of getting breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma.