X-Men Actor Reveals His Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Tyler Mane says his first reaction to learning he had breast cancer was to keep it secret "because it's kind of embarrassing." Instead, the Canadian actor best known for playing villain Sabretooth in the X-Men franchise has decided to go public, NBC News reports. In an Instagram post, the 59-year-old said he changed his mind about sharing the diagnosis after finding out that "men are more likely to be diagnosed in advance stages BECAUSE it's not talked about and not looked for." He added: "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." He called himself one of the "super rare" male cases.

• "One in 750 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and I'm one of them," he said. "Because it's rarely talked about, it's usually found at later stages and has worse outcomes. I want to change that."

About 1% of breast cancer diagnoses occur in men, per the CDC, which lists risk factors including family history, certain gene mutations, prior chest radiation, and some hormone therapies. In both sexes, the risk of breast cancer goes up with age, with most cases found in people over 50. "The most common thing that I find in my male breast cancer patients is that they have felt a lump for quite some time, and either the patient or their family or their physicians have dismissed this as nothing to worry about," Dr. Melissa Pilewskie, co-director of the Weiser Family Center for Breast Cancer at University of Michigan Health, tells the New York Times.

The American Breast Cancer Foundation is using Mane's news to urge men not to ignore changes in their chest, pointing to signs like lumps, nipple pain or changes, and swelling under the arm. "Early detection can improve outcomes," the group said. Mane, who launched his acting career after retiring from pro wrestling, appeared in 2000's X-Men and 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine. He also played Michael Myers in Rob Zombie's two Halloween movies.

• In another Instagram post, he thanked supporters after his second day of chemotherapy, People reports. "Thank you so much for all the love everyone. I greatly appreciate it," he said. "I got this. I'm gonna kick cancer's a--. Thank you for coming along for the journey."