Breast cancer: Not just a woman's disease

Cancer

Breast cancer: Not just a woman’s disease

By
Jason Howland

October 8, 2020

an older Caucasian man with glasses, leaning on a cane while sitting in a chair near a window and looking concerned, worried, thoughtful

One in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

But breast cancer is not just a woman's disease. Each year, around 2,500 men are diagnosed.

In January 2018, Dave Whigham, then 58, became one of them.

Although his cancer was found early, Whigham still required surgery, radiation and several rounds of chemotherapy. Today, he gets regular checkups, including mammograms. And he shares his story in hopes of helping other men.

"I would encourage men to talk about it and to be open about giving themselves breast exams. I never felt funny about having breast cancer, but I feel really good about being someone who can spread the word that this happens to men, too, and, so, you need to be doing things to keep yourself safe."

Watch: Breast cancer is not just a woman's disease.