It all started when David McCallion noticed changes in his breasts in 2014. Somehow she seemed bigger to him, almost like a woman’s breasts. His doctor eventually diagnosed gynecomastia – an enlargement of the mammary glands caused by an imbalance in hormones. When the doctor explained to him that enlarged male breasts were usually harmless, the now 59-year-old went home relieved and reassured.
Five years passed. But then his chest started causing trouble again, McCallion tells the Daily Mail. The social worker, who lives in Oldham, near Manchester, noticed that one of his nipples had become inverted. Since he couldn’t explain what it was all about, he went back to his family doctor.
A few weeks and examinations later the devastating diagnosis: breast cancer. The invasive ductal breast carcinoma, which arises in the mammary ducts, was already in its third stage and had grown so large that it was invading surrounding tissue.
Father of two from England suffers from breast cancer
A shock for the father of two – but an expected one. “When I was told it was obviously a bit shocking – a bit because I had to wait three weeks for the biopsy results and I had already got it in my head that it was definitely cancer,” McCallion says.
This was also due to the genetic predisposition in the family. Both his mother and his sister had breast cancer. In addition, he had known since his gynecomastia that men could also get this type of cancer.
In Germany, 700 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year
However, this might come as a surprise to many people. Are you wondering: How can men get breast cancer, the most common cancer among women?
In fact, breast cancer is very rare among men. In Germany, 700 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Women are 100 times more likely to be affected; The number of new cases annually is 70,000, writes the German Cancer Research Center. Breast cancer is often discovered later in men than in women, when the disease is more advanced. This is partly because there is no early detection program such as mammography screening for men.
To avoid scaring his grandchildren, McCallion shaved his hair during chemo
As a result of his cancer diagnosis, McCallion underwent a right breast mastectomy – a surgery that removes breast tissue. Unlike breast-conserving therapy in women, the removal of the entire breast in men often cannot be avoided.
He then began chemotherapy in December 2019. He made a sad discovery on Christmas Eve: “I woke up that day, went into the bathroom and simply touched the top of my head, and all my hair fell out,” he reports. Fearing that he would scare his grandchildren, he decided to shave all his hair off and joke about it. He told his grandchildren that he had simply made “a stupid mistake.” However, inside he didn’t feel like laughing at all. “It was pretty dramatic that it happened on the day of all days,” says the Brit.
In fact, he wasn’t the only one in the family battling cancer at the time. His sister-in-law had also been diagnosed with a form of lung cancer. “So most of us had no hair at Christmas,” McCallion says.
Breast cancer patient had to have both breasts removed
Further treatment for his cancer was slow: due to the corona pandemic that was slowly breaking out in Europe, his final chemotherapy was canceled and he waited until June 2020 for his radiotherapy – which finally worked. The cancer gradually shrunk until there was nothing left of it. To be on the safe side, McCallion also had his left breast removed in 2022 after a genetic test that showed an increased risk of breast cancer due to a modified gene.
After contracting Corona, Briton received another tragic diagnosis
For a year, his life went “like clockwork,” reports the cancer patient. But unfortunately his victory over breast cancer is not the end of his illness. In December 2023, McCallion contracted Covid-19, from which he recovered within a month. However, the shortness of breath remained.
After trying in vain to get a doctor’s appointment about it, he finally talked to a nurse about it at a routine appointment. He was sent for an X-ray that same afternoon. There, doctors found two suspicious growths in his right lung and two small ones in his left lung. Further investigations ultimately showed that these were metastases. The breast cancer had spread to the lungs, and McCallion suffered from secondary breast cancer.
“I knew I had stage four cancer during my son’s bachelorette party”
Shortly before his diagnosis, the 59-year-old had a premonition – on a day that was supposed to be joyful and carefree. “I knew I had stage four cancer while we were at my youngest son’s bachelorette party,” McCallion says of the distressing moment. “I couldn’t tell my family.”
He holds back the bad news until his son returns from his honeymoon. Then, in July 2023, he finally began CAR T-cell therapy, in which white blood cells that have been genetically modified in the laboratory are intended to specifically attack and destroy cancer cells. The ex-social worker also received hormone treatment. To this day he is fighting against metastatic cancer.
Friends and acquaintances turned away from McCallion
Despite this, or perhaps precisely because of this, the Brit is committed to raising awareness about breast cancer in men, which is still unknown territory for many – or even a taboo topic. While he was always supported by his wife Julie and his family, some of his friends and acquaintances turned away from him because of the cancer diagnosis.
“People I’ve known for 30 years have moved across the street to avoid talking to me,” he says. Since McCallion found out about his illness in 2019, he has had little contact with some friends and acquaintances. Although this was probably a hurtful experience, the Brit doesn’t want to worry about it. “These people probably didn’t have the words or the decency to talk about it.”
“Don’t question or google – go to the doctor immediately”
He also found it difficult to talk about his illness at first. Since the majority of breast cancer support is aimed at women, who are affected much more often, many men “hit a pink wall and switch off”.
The 59-year-old wants to prevent that. By making his story public, he wants to raise awareness of this cancer in men and help those affected to open up.
“I hate the idea that men who get diagnosed with breast cancer just put their shirts back on and don’t tell anyone,” McCallion says. “That would be horrible. Going through all of that and never really talking about it except with family. I find it heartbreaking.”
He also advises people who notice any changes in their health to consult a doctor immediately. “I think the message to everyone, male or female, is that if you notice any kind of change in your body that is not normal: go to the doctor immediately. Don’t question it or google it.”
Causes and risk factors for breast cancer in men
It is not yet completely clear what causes breast cancer in men like David McCallion. However, there are some risk factors:
Genetic predisposition: Certain gene mutations, particularly in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, increase the risk. These genes are also linked to other cancers such as prostate cancer. Even if breast cancer runs in the family, especially in both male and female relatives, the risk may be increased. In such cases, a genetic test and regular check-ups could be useful.
Klinefelter Syndrome: A congenital disorder in which men have one or more extra X chromosomes increases the risk of breast cancer by 20 to 60 times.
Changes in hormonal balance: Increased estrogen production in men, for example due to obesity (fatty tissue can produce hormones), or a low testosterone level, for example due to liver cirrhosis or undescended testicles or inflammation, can throw the hormonal balance out of balance. Additionally, anabolic steroids can increase the risk of breast cancer because the steroids may be converted into estrogens in the body.
Symptoms
Breast cancer in men often manifests itself as a one-sided and painless hardening of the breast between the nipple and armpit. In addition, the following symptoms are typical:
Retractions of the skin or nipple Discharge from the mammary gland or inflammatory changes Breast sores that do not heal Enlarged or hardened lymph nodes in the armpit
Examination and diagnostic process
The earlier the cancer is detected, the greater the chances of recovery. Therefore, if you suspect anything, you should immediately consult a doctor who will initiate the appropriate examinations:
Anamnese: The doctor will ask you about your medical history and symptoms.
Physical examination: The breast and lymph nodes are palpated.
Imaging: Imaging techniques such as mammography (breast X-rays) and ultrasound are used.
Magnetic resonance imaging: An MRI can also be helpful, especially if the cancer is deep in the breast tissue.
Treatments and forms of therapy
Chemo-Therapie: After surgery to remove breast cancer, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy. If the tumor is larger, these drugs (called chemotherapeutics) are sometimes given before surgery to shrink the tumor.
Antibody therapy: Sometimes it turns out that breast cancer in men has a high number of so-called HER2/neu receptors (docking sites for growth factors). If this is the case, treatment with specialized antibodies, such as trastuzumab, could be an option. This type of treatment has shown good results in women. However, there is still no definitive evidence of its effectiveness in men, but research continues.
Prevention of breast cancer
You may be wondering, “Can I prevent breast cancer?” For some men, the cause of breast cancer lies in their genes, and it is unpreventable. In such cases, regular check-ups are recommended. But there are also factors that can influence you:
Movement: An active lifestyle has many benefits. Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of many diseases, including breast cancer.
Nutrition: A balanced diet with polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g. from fish or vegetable oils) and lots of fruit and vegetables is recommended. Try to limit your consumption of fatty sausages, butter and meat.
Stay non-smoking: Tobacco consumption increases the risk of various diseases.
Moderate alcohol consumption: If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation or not at all.