A man in the U.K. who was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer says the treatment drugs gave him menopause-like symptoms, including hot flushes and severe dizzy spells.
Mark Nock, a former nurse from Birmingham, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. He noticed a lump on his chest when a colleague accidentally spilled water on his uniform.
“The moment I felt that lump I knew what it was, I can’t explain it, I just knew. My lump was obvious, I could feel it through the thick tunic, and it felt like a thick rubber polo mint,” the 61-year-old man said.
He then underwent a full mastectomy that involves surgical removal of the breast, including the nipple, areola and the skin over the breast. After the procedure, medics prescribed him hormone therapy to help stop estrogen from binding to the breast cancer cells.
“The type of breast cancer I had is estrogen positive. A lot of people think estrogen is a women’s hormone and testosterone is male but everyone has both. The treatment is identical in men and women, requiring a full mastectomy and the same medication,” Nock said.
However, the therapy drugs gave him menopause-like symptoms, including hot flushes, severe dizzy spells and morning sickness. He eventually took early retirement as the symptoms got worse.
“Breast cancer is very rare in men – the treatments are the same, and I was prescribed Tamoxifen. 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,” Nock said, reported Wales Online.
Five years after the dreadful diagnosis, Nock is now cancer free. He now raises awareness and encourages both men and women to get checked for breast cancer.
Male breast cancer
Although breast cancer is more often found in women, men too can develop the disease. It is estimated that one out of every 100 breast cancer cases reported in the U.S. is found in a man. Male breast cancer is more common in older men, although it can occur at any age.
Who is at risk of getting…
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