Mar 19, 2026
3 min read
Breast cancer is not just a “pink” disease;for men with a family history or genetic predisposition, a mammogram can be a lifesaving tool that overcomes social stigma.
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I am here for my appointment.The nurse asks me to strip to the waist and put on a gown with a hole in the front.For the life of me, I can't figure out the right way to tie the hem of my gown.When I mention this feat of incompetence to the technologist in the exam room, she tells me that I could have just taken my shirt off.The nurse, she says, "isn't used to doing mammograms on male patients."
So I went in for my first routine mammogram, a screening I never thought I'd do as a guy, and I think the nurse didn't expect it.
Let me clarify: the statistics about breast cancer in women are truly frightening. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. For men, it is only 1 in 726 people. If you look at these numbers, it is easy to understand why breast cancer is considered a greater health threat to women. However, much of the culture surrounding this disease seems to fit gender-based molds,like pink awareness ribbons, pink merchandise, wigs, sisterhoods, and the general idea that men don't have breasts to begin with. So why should men worry about getting breast cancer?
Beyoncé's father, Matthew Knowles, 67, who previously worked as her manager, announced on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday that he had breast cancer.
In fact, some of us should be concerned.Breast cancer in men is so rare that it does not affect some of the most famous men, such as KISS drummer Peter Criss, actor Richard Roundtree ("Shaft") and by Beyoncé's father association Matthew Knowles.Despite these high diagnoses, the perception of breast cancer as a threat to men's health continues to struggle.
Cherie Ambrose founded the Global Alliance for Male Breast Cancer a decade ago after learning that her friend's husband had breast cancer.She searched online for some information about it."And to my surprise, there was nothing for men," she told me."It was cricket."
Dr. Aditya Berdia is a UCLA breast cancer oncologist who has been in the field for 15 years and has treated more than 20 people during that time."If you have something, a screening ultrasound," Bardia says.
Genetic risk factor
These top risk indicators are what led me on my cancer prevention safari.My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, and my grandmother was diagnosed a decade earlier.Add to that the fact that I am of Ashkenazi descent and have the same risk of breast cancer as any man.
To get a more accurate genetic indicator of cancer risk, my mother encouraged me to test my DNA for the BRCA1 gene mutation.Of course, I tested positive for BRCA1, and now my doctors and I are on high alert not only for breast cancer, but also related cancers like prostate and pancreatic cancer.(Although it is not public record that Richard Roundtree was BRCA1 positive, he survived only to die of pancreatic cancer decades after a battle with breast cancer, suggesting he likely carried the genetic mutation).
Mammogram experience
After testing positive for BRCA1, the geneticist I spoke with stressed that my biggest new health concern would be prostate cancer, so I was a little surprised when my GP gave me a referral for my first mammogram.I had no idea what to expect.
That's why I have to say that what I don't know about women's health is more extensive than I'd like to admit.My first exposure to mammogram reality came from watching the pilot of "Girls5eva."slow with a machine high above his head.I'm sure the breaststroke is involved;I didn't know it was a machine that did all the work."Girls5eva," if you're not familiar, this is not an old show, which means I haven't seen a mammogram for most of my life.
According to the American Cancer Society's annual report, more than 70% of Americans diagnosed with cancer for the first time can expect to live at least five years.The increase since the mid-1970s, when the number was only 49%, is huge.But not all Americans benefit equally.
However, as I drove to my appointment, I wondered how the mammograms Sara Bareilles saw on TV were different, since I am a man.
After removing the bag, the technician moved me to the chest with his assistant mechanic.I was instructed to hold my breath while the machine gave me two hard squeezes on the left side and two hard squeezes on the right side, each squeeze lasting a few seconds.Yes, it's inconvenient, but relatively painless as far as medical procedures go - simple, short, and non-invasive.My biggest irrational fear is that the engine is going too hard.could squeeze and I had to be stuck in so much pain that someone removed the umbilical cord.Of course it doesn't.In fact, nothing else happened.I was in and out of the building in less than 15 minutes.
Results?"No significant masses, calcifications or other findings are seen in either breast."Good to know.
Navigating and breaking down gender stigma
The mammogram itself was a piece of cake, but I have to admit that there were times on this journey of self-discovery about my cancer risk when I felt like a tourist reviewing someone's health narrative.It wasn't just a cross-dressing incident or a geneticist who convinced me that BRCA-related prostate cancer would be my main concern.While filling out the required questionnaire before booking my mammogram, I had to answer questions like, "Did you have your entire breast removed?"and "Is your bra size larger than a 42DD?"I answered no, but if there was a "N/A" option, I would take it.
Bardia admits to being out of touch.“It’s quite rare for men to be aware of leadership and management of men,” she told me.
In a different context, some people might misinterpret these gender barriers as microaggressions.I personally don't feel that way, but I try to be fair, taking into account the huge impact breast cancer has on the bodies of women in greater numbers and the stigma points men may experience in their breast cancer journey.
Nearly half of adults age 65 and older don't have dental insurance, and they may soon have more company.
Let's face it: The stigma against men is real and it has consequences."Even though it's very rare, the death rate from breast cancer is 19% higher in men than in women," says Ambrose.“It's because of the lack of awareness, and in my opinion it's the stigma.”
Ambrose believes that a large part of that shame, unfortunately, is the spread of breast cancer associated with pink."Pink is not medicine," he said.Pink, or gender of course.
Even Mathew Knowles openly played with the actual name of his disease, choosing instead the inappropriate "breast cancer" and "breast cancer," which falsely suggests a male form of the disease.
But I can't help but wonder if some of the stigma comes from other places as well.In parts of America, the idea of a man doing anything that could be perceived as feminine is politically charged.Nor do I need to point out that we live in an age of aggressive transphobia, which has a lot to do with today's divisive politics.For some political leaders, there is nothing more terrifying than the prospect of sharing a public toilet with a woman who was born a man.Even drag queens can't read children's books in the library without a political interruption.Under this societal construct, how are men supposed to take seriously a disease that bears the name of a body part so associated with the opposite sex?
Children and men are neglected in the face of crises.We must stand with them and work hard to get more resources.
Again, Peter Criss has spent his entire career wearing makeup to look like a glam cat, but if that didn't stop him and his KISS bandmates from receiving Kennedy Center Honors from our current president last year, then I don't think it will stop anyone from heeding Criss's advice to take care of our own health.
I'm glad I wasn't offended by the stigma.I understand, but I can roll with the female form.I think I've learned something from this, that everyone has breasts - they're all different colors and they're all susceptible to disease.Also, what part of my body went into my bowels during my mammogram?
Within a few days of the date, I saw some friends I hadn’t seen in a while.When they asked what was new, I told them I had just had my first mammogram.Some of them, both men and women, thought I was joking, but I assured them it was no joke.
I shared this story with Ambrose and he immediately got involved."It helps spread and break the stigma," he said, with a gratitude I didn't expect."This is everyone who tells their story."
