Beyonce’s Dad Battling Breast Cancer, Urges Men to Get Tested

No, breast cancer is not just a woman’s thing. Men get it too.

The 68 year old says he is battling breast cancer.

(Photo: Instagram) 

In light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Beyonce’s father has made a big announcement. Mathew Knowles, superstar singer Beyonce’s father and her former manager has revealed that he is battling breast cancer. In an interview on Good Morning America, he blames it on genetics and says he informed his family immediately.

"This is genetics. It also means that my kids have a higher chance, a higher risk, even my grandkids have a higher risk. And they handled it like they should. They went and got the test."

The first symptom he noticed was dots of blood in his shirt. His doctor performed a mammogram immediately and he underwent surgery in July. Mathew Knowles has BRCA2 gene mutation, putting him at a hire risk of getting breast cancer.

Yes, Men Get Breast Cancer Too

1 in 833 men will get breast cancer in their lifetime, according to American Cancer Society. The death rate is 25% higher than in women, and doctors attribute this to lack of awareness and delayed diagnosis, because ‘no one thinks men can get breast cancer.’

Here’s what they should be looking for:

In an earlier interview with FIT, Dr Ganapathi Bhat M, Medical Oncologist & Stem cell Transplant Physician, Jaslok Hospital & Research Center, Mumbai had this to say:

“The average age of breast cancer in men is around 68 years, those who inherit the<i> BRCA1 &amp; 2 </i>genes have a higher risk. In comparison to the female breast cancer, the male breast cancer presents differently but we don’t have tailored made treatment plans because the research around male breast cancer is zero.”&nbsp;