Episode 398: Men Get Breast Cancer Too: Know Your Normal

Bret Miller was 17 when he first felt a lump behind his nipple. For seven years, providers told him it was calcium buildup or that it would go away on its own. It didn't. At 24, Bret was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer — a disease most people, including many of the doctors he saw along the way, don't associate with men at all.In this episode, Bret joins his oncologist, Dr. Priyanka Sharma of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, to unpack why male breast cancer is so often missed or overlooked by so many health care providers — and why most men have never been told what normal breast tissue looks or feels like for them in the first place. Together, they talk about what needs to change in clinical training and patient conversations, and what self-advocacy looks like when the system isn't built to catch what you're describing.

This episode is part of the Komen Health Equity Revolution podcast series, which centers the lived experience of communities too often overlooked in breast cancer awareness and care — including men.

5 Key Takeaways

• Men need to know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer
• A persistent change in one breast should be investigated
• Nipple discharge can be a warning sign of breast cancer
• Patients should advocate for themselves and seek second opinions
• Healthcare providers should take concerning breast changes seriously

Chapters

• 03:10 Bret's Seven-Year Journey to a Diagnosis
• 10:55 Why Male Breast Cancer Gets Missed
• 15:09 Knowing What Is Normal for Men
• 17:11 Turning a Diagnosis Into Advocacy
• 24:39 How Healthcare Providers Can Close the Gap

Learn more at realpink.komen.org and komen.org

Real Pink, by Susan G. Komen, shares real stories and expert insights to support people navigating breast cancer, from diagnosis through survivorship.