I didn’t know men get breast cancer

Roy Collins, 66, a police community support officer, lives in East sussex with his wife Tessa, 65, a nurse.

I had no idea breast cancer could affect men until my diagnosis in 2011. In fact, I now know it kills proportionally far more men than women — more than 80 a year (of 300-400 diagnosed). It was only thanks to my wife’s presence of mind that I didn’t become one of those fatalities. One day, Tessa saw me just after I’d got out of the shower and noticed my right nipple was inverted. Without telling me why, she said I must get it checked out and arranged for me to see the GP the next day. I was then referred to hospital, where scans and a biopsy detected a malignant 6cm tumour that had spread to my lymph nodes. a few days later I had a mastectomy and lymph nodes on that side removed. after the surgery, even though all the cancer had been removed, I had to steel myself for 18 weeks of chemotherapy and three weeks of radiotherapy. But afterwards, I wouldn’t take off my T-shirt if the weather was warm. Then, about three years after my diagnosis, we were on a boat trip in Tenerife and the skipper encouraged us to jump into the sea. a man with one leg got up and leapt in. I thought: ‘all I’ve got to worry about is this scar.’ So I took my top off and did the same.

Now I’ll happily show my scar off, as I want other men to be as lucky as me.

For information about the charity Walk the Walk and its ‘men get breast cancer too’ campaign, go to: walkthewalk.org

EXPERT COMMENT: dr ashworth says: ‘The healing of a mastectomy scar would be the same for a man as for a woman. The risk for either is that certain body sites are more prone to exaggerated scars called keloids — raised scars — particularly bony body areas, for example the breastbone or on top of the shoulder, possibly due to the lack of subcutaneous fat in these areas.’