Actor and former wrestler Tyler Mane revealed on June 9 that he has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently receiving chemotherapy treatment [1]. Mane, 59, is best known for playing Sabretooth in the 2000 X-Men film and reprised the role in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine [1, 2].
Male breast cancer is uncommon, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancer cases [3, 2]. About 2,670 men in the US are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, with roughly 530 deaths projected this year [3, 1].
Mane explained that his doctors initially dismissed his symptoms. He said, "I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to keep it secret. I mean it’s kind of embarrassing. But then I found out that men are more likely to be diagnosed in advanced stages BECAUSE it’s not talked about and not looked for. In fact, my doctors all dismissed it and it was only because my wife pushed me to get the lump removed that I got in early" [3, 1, 2].
Symptoms in men can include lumps, swelling, redness, nipple discharge, dimpling, or pain, but awareness remains low [3, 1]. Risk factors cited for male breast cancer include age, genetics such as BRCA mutations, obesity, liver disease, hormone therapy, and prior chest radiation [3, 1].
The average age for diagnosis in men ranges from 60 to 70 years; Mane is 59 [3]. Treatment for male breast cancer generally follows the same protocols as for women, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and targeted treatments [3].
On June 9, Mane publicly announced his diagnosis and treatment plan on social media, seeking to raise awareness of the disease [1].
