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14 minutes ago Shannen Headley West Midlands Supplied Paul Jennings says a small lump in his chest led to a mastectomy two weeks later When Paul Jennings noticed a small lump in his chest while recovering from a cold, breast cancer was the last thing on his mind. The father-of-three, from Loxley in south Warwickshire, had previously been running and assumed the irritation around his nipple was nothing more than a rash. Instead, tests revealed a pre-cancerous lump that led to him having a mastectomy.
Almost two years on, Jennings is sharing his story to encourage more men to check themselves and raise awareness about male breast cancer. "It's something we all need to be aware of," he said. Research by male breast cancer charity Moobs found 67% of men were unaware they can develop breast cancer.
Jennings said: "I wouldn't have thought a man could get a pre-cancerous lump. "I'd been doing some running, and I'd got a cold, so I was lying in bed and noticed my nipple felt a bit strange. "I thought maybe it was a rash from running, but when I had a feel around, I thought there was a lump there." After mentioning it to his wife, he booked an appointment with his GP after initially thinking he had a cyst.
Within two weeks, Jennings was seen by specialists at Warwick Hospital. Doctors initially attempted to drain the lump but were unable to do so, so they decided to carry out a biopsy. "I thought it was absolutely fine, and there were no problems," he said.
"They said they'd give me a call in a couple of days, and I was waiting for the phone call that would say everything was clear." Instead, he received a call the day before Christmas Eve asking him to return to hospital the following day. 'It's much rarer in men' At the time, Jennings was preparing for his final day at work after being made redundant. He said: "They asked me to come in tomorrow, and it gave me a bit of a kick in the gut; you immediately start thinking something isn't right." "It was strange being there; it's predominantly women, and there were a few blokes there. "I was conscious people were probably looking at me and thinking I was supporting my wife, when actually it was the other way around - my wife was there supporting me." Jennings said doctors took him into a side room and explained what the biopsy had found.
"They said the best thing was to take it out, and that meant a mastectomy," he said. "That was a bit of a shock. It's not what you're expecting as a man." The operation removed the affected breast tissue, an 8mm lump the size of a penny, from the right side of his chest - leaving him with a five-inch scar.
While the experience was frightening, Jennings said it had reinforced the importance of paying attention to changes in your body. He said: "It is much rarer in men, but it's still something we all need to be aware of. Mine was tiny, but it's your body, and you'll notice when something isn't right.
"If you find a lump or a bump, make that appointment and get it checked out." More on this story Related internet links
Source: BBC
