[Disclaimer: the photo above is NOT me.]

About a month ago, I was in the shower when I swept my hand across my chest and felt something unusual that I did not remember being there before. I ran my hand over it again and it was still there. I figured that it was probably a lipoma, which is a slow-growing, non-cancerous lump under the skin made of fat cells. I was not sure, htough, and I have two friends whose father’s had breast cancer, so I figured I should probably let my doctor know. But, not until after vacation.

I called my primary care physician’s office after returning from vacation and he was able to get me in a couple of days later. He did a simple but thorough exam and concluded that it might not be a lipoma after all, so he ordered an ultrasound.

I was able to get an appointment the next week. It was a weird experience walking into the “Breast Center” at a local Cleveland Clinic medical building, and I am sure it was weird for all the women there to have me in the waiting room. One of the nurses told me that they see about one male per day in the office. Once I got there, they told me that first I was to have a mammogram; this got me nervous because my doctor had not ordered it and because I had heard that it is uncomfortable. I now understand why women might be hesitant to have a mammogram; it is pretty uncomfortable, and my chest hurt for the rest of the day. The actual mammogram only took a few minutes and the technician was very professional, compassionate, and kind. Afterwards, I was sent back out to the waiting room to wait for the doctor’s reading of the exam.

About 20 minutes later I was called in for the actual ultrasound. The nurse with me told me that the mammogram showed nothing unusual and that, in the end, it probably was a lipoma. They were going to do the ultrasound in any case since my doctor had ordered it. This was not painful at all; they even warmed up the gel! The technician showed me back out into the waiting area, and a few minutes later it was confirmed to be a lipoma–and there was even a smaller one about an inch away that I had not noticed earlier. No cancer. What a relief.

Why do I tell you this story? Because although male breast cancer is quite rare (only 1% of all cases), it is not unheard of. Men should be used to doing regular testicular exams, but we should always be aware of changes that we note in our bodies–especially after the age of 60 and especially because men do not get regular mammograms. As in breast cancer with women, the earlier it is caught the better the prognosis.

I have a whole new level of respect for women and what they go through. It is scary to think that something might be wrong and to go through the tests…and to know that about 1 in 8 women in the US are diagnosed with breast cancer. I understand now why October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I get the pink ribbons.

Know your body. If you notice something different, let you doctor know. Better for him or her to tell you that it is nothing, than to worry about it or, God-forbid, to be wrong and miss the opportunity to do something about it.