Actor Tyler Mane, known for his roles in "X-Men" and "Halloween," has revealed that he is battling breast cancer and credits his wife, Renae, with saving his life. Mane was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), a rare form of male breast cancer, after his wife insisted he get a lump on his chest checked.
Mane, 59, initially dismissed the lump, believing it to be a benign lipoma, a type of fatty growth he had previously had removed. However, his wife urged him to seek medical attention. "She just kept insisting," Mane told Fox News Digital. "I kept talking about it, 'I have this lump here still, and it's hard.' And she was very insistent because women are trained from a certain age that if they feel something in their breast area, go get it checked out."
Mane's insistence on getting the lump examined led to the discovery of a 28-millimeter tumor. "To be honest, even my doctor said, 'Oh, it's probably nothing. It's probably just a lipoma,'" Mane recalled. "And then, when I went in for the [surgery], he said, 'You probably want to get that removed, but it's probably nothing.' It's just dismissed so much that you have to be an advocate for your own body."
Following the surgery to remove the tumor, Mane received the diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma. He is now undergoing chemotherapy and plans to undergo radiation therapy to ensure the cancer is eradicated. Mane stated that his cancer was caught at Stage 1.
Male breast cancer is uncommon, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancer cases in the U.S. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 2,670 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, and about 530 will die from the disease. The average lifetime risk for men is about 1 in 755.
Mane is speaking out about his diagnosis to raise awareness and encourage other men to be vigilant about their health. "This is a cancer that anyone can get," Mane said. "If you feel something different in your chest than the norm, you have to go get it checked out and tested. You have to insist on getting tested and checked. You have to be the best advocate for yourself."
He also shared that he initially felt some shame about his diagnosis but quickly decided to use his experience to advocate for male breast cancer awareness. "For sure, I wanted to keep my diagnosis private at the beginning because I felt a bit ashamed," Mane admitted. "I was like, 'How can I have breast cancer?' But then I quickly turned to, 'No, I got to talk about this because this is a very serious issue that men don't usually deal with.'"
Mane and his wife Renae are launching a new podcast, "Mane AF," which will discuss midlife, marriage, and their personal challenges, including Mane's cancer journey. He hopes to destigmatize the disease and encourage men to prioritize their health.
Chemotherapy has presented significant challenges, with Mane describing the physical toll it takes on his body. "Chemotherapy is hard on your system," he said. "Unless you've gone through it, you can't even imagine what it does to your body, and it's a repetitive cycle."
Mane emphasized the importance of a positive attitude during treatment, crediting his wife's unwavering support. "You have to have a positive attitude, and I've stayed positive no matter what," he said. "As soon as you let yourself get down, then it's a downhill slide from there. And I need to stick around for my wife and my family."
Mane's message to other men is clear: "All you guys out there, listen to your wives when they tell you to get checked."