Man diagnosed with rare breast cancer after finding a ‘Polo mint-like' lump

Mark Nock, a former nurse from Birmingham, England, was diagnosed with a “rare” case of male breast cancer. He discovered the unusual lump on his chest after a colleague knocked a bowl of water on his uniform. Having dried himself off in a staff toilet, he noticed a lump like a “huge Polo mint” under his right nipple, as reported by Express UK.

Mark first noticed the unusual lump in his chest in May 2018. He consulted a doctor who confirmed it was suspicious. Mark was then referred for a mammogram and biopsy. He was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer, which is rare in men.

To treat the tumor, Mark underwent a full mastectomy. For the unversed, full mastectomy is the surgery to remove the whole breast, which may include the nipple, areola, and the skin over the breast. Mark was also prescribed a type of hormone therapy which helps control breast cancer by stopping estrogen binding to the breast cancer cells.

The drug brought on menopause-like symptoms, and Mark experienced hot flashes, severe dizzy spells which would leave him unable to stand, as well as morning sickness.

“Breast cancer is very rare in men – the treatments are the same, and I was prescribed Tamoxifen,” he said. “These drugs have barely been tested on men and are designed for women’s hormone balance, so I was a bit of a lab rat.”

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Mark is now cancer-free and is encouraging men and women to check themselves for breast cancer.


“The moment I felt that lump I knew what it was, I can't explain it, I just knew,” he said. “I thought it would be a good idea to raise awareness of male breast cancer, it’s possible to save lives with a conversation.”

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Breast cancer is a serious condition and even men can get this type of cancer. Symptoms of breast cancer among men may include:

• A lump in the breast – usually hard, painless and does not move around within the breast
  
• The nipple turning inwards
  
• Fluid oozing from the nipple which may be streaked with blood
  
• A sore or rash around the nipple
  
• The nipple or surrounding skin becoming hard, red or swollen
  
• Swollen armpit glands