A dad with breast cancer was initially scared to disclose his diagnosis to his grown children, but Dave Talbot received love and support while undergoing mastectomy and treatments. He is now in better health after discovering his condition in 2015.
The 64-year-old father was on his birthday holiday in Florida when he discovered a lump on his chest. Since he didn't feel any pain and he had fatty deposits before, Talbot thought nothing of it at first.
However, when he returned home to Bristol, he visited his doctor, who referred him to a specialist. Though they were convinced it was another fatty lump, Talbot agreed to ultrasound and biopsy.
There was no history of breast cancer in the former police officer's family, but his mother died of ovarian cancer at 68 years old. One week after his test, the dad got the confirmation he dreaded. His breast cancer tumor was already as big as a golf ball.
"I was scared and it was tough to tell my children," he said, according to Bristol Live.
Male Breast Cancer Linked to Infertility
Determined not to lose hope, the dad with breast cancer agreed to a mastectomy that removed the lymph nodes under his right armpits. Then, he had six chemotherapy sessions and 20 radiotherapy sessions. His children were very supportive of his battle with this deadly disease.
The father said his treatments are mostly the same with female breast cancer patients. However, the psychological impact of losing one's breast is likely heavier on the women as male breast cancer patients are not usually offered breast reconstruction surgery.
Per the Male Breast Cancer Coalition, Talbot was also prescribed a 10-year course of Tamoxifen, which will help keep cancer at bay. He's currently in his seventh year since his diagnosis.
The dad admitted that he was not aware men could get breast cancer. However, he knew that there are links to ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Upon learning of his condition, his initial thought was if he had enough time left and if this cancer would kill him.
The latest research on the disease suggests that male breast cancer may have ties with men's infertility problems, but the causes are still mostly unknown to the experts since this is a rare type of breast cancer. In the U.S., only one percent of breast cancer patients are men.
Talbot said that he's one of the lucky ones who did not have infertility issues. He was also able to undergo chemotherapy at home because he had a private health and insurance provider. However, he hopes that more studies will be done on a broader set of male breast cancer patients to find better ways to treat the disease.
Symptoms of Male Breast Cancer
The cancerous lump on the breast, chest, or armpit is usually painless and may feel rather bumpy than smooth. The lump also does not move around when touched, and it gets bigger over time.
Some men might also experience nipple discharge or their nipples turning inward. They may also see some rashes around the nipple or smaller bumps in the armpits because the glands are swollen.
The dads may also feel tired all the time and develop aches in their bones. If they are generally feeling sick, it could indicate that cancer has affected other parts of their body, according to Daily Record.
Talbot advised men who might have these symptoms to visit their doctor as soon as possible to get checked and tested for their peace of mind and early intervention.
