Walsall father who was diagnosed with breast cancer urges all men to be aware of symptoms
A Walsall father who was diagnosed with breast cancer after his wife felt a lump in his chest is urging other men to be aware of the symptoms.
Darren Pallett, a HGV driver from Willenhall, was diagnosed with grade two invasive ductal cancer in June this year and was lucky that it was detected early.
His wife, Fiona, has a heightened sense of touch due to being profoundly visually impaired, and felt a lump in Darren's chest while he was lying down.
"If it wasn’t for my wife, I could have been in a different situation today," said the 57-year-old, who was especially worried as both of his sisters had suffered from cancer.
He added: "I want to encourage men to feel their breast area monthly as it’s not spoken about enough.
"It has made me more aware of cancer and how it’s just as important for men to check monthly, as well as women. A lot of my male colleagues thought only women could get it, so raising awareness is important."
After his operation, Darren received genetic testing and the results thankfully came back negative.
Darren’s sons recently had genetic testing too, again with negative results, and he has told them to make sure they check themselves.
He received care and support through The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT).
Samantha Bullows, breast care clinical nurse specialist, said: “Darren has recovered well from his surgery and is now on a self-managed pathway for five years. This includes annual mammograms and open access to the Breast Care Nursing Team.
"Male breast cancer accounts for around 370 breast cancer cases in the UK every year. I strongly encourage all men to seek GP advice if they notice any changes to their chest."
Darren has thanked staff in the Breast Care Service at RWT for being so supportive and reassuring to both him and his family.
The symptoms of breast cancer in men include:
A lump in the breast – this is usually hard, painless and does not move around within the breast
The nipple turning inwards
Fluid oozing from the nipple (nipple discharge), which may be streaked with blood
A sore or rash around the nipple that does not go away
The nipple or surrounding skin becoming hard, red or swollen
Small bumps in the armpit (swollen glands).
Read more about these symptoms at nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-in-men/
