(CLEVELAND CLINIC) - Most people know breast cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in women. What isn't commonly known is that men can get it too, although it is rare. Meet a young man who was shocked to learn a small lump on his chest was much more than an annoyance.
37-year-old Brian Chrobak (crow-back) is athletic and in good health. So, when he noticed a small lump on his chest, cancer was the last thing on his mind.
"Like most people tend to do, you put it off a little bit, you think ah, you know it'll go away on its own. Long story short, that wasn't the case," stated Brian Chrobak, breast cancer survivor.
Over time, the lump grew larger and became painful. Eventually, Brian had it checked out and was stunned to learn he had breast cancer.
"When you're sitting there and he tells you what you have and you kind of have to take a second to digest it," added Chrobak.
Brian drove ninety minutes from his home in Pennsylvania to Cleveland Clinic for treatment. There, doctors discovered his cancer had advanced to his lymph nodes and started him on chemotherapy.
"The intent and the idea with the chemotherapy was to help him have a better surgery essentially, and so shrinking the cancer prior to surgery with the chemotherapy could help with that," explained Dr. Erin Roesch, Cleveland Clinic.
After chemo, Brian had surgery to remove the tumor and several lymph nodes. Radiation and hormonal therapy followed. He's currently about a year out from surgery and cancer free.
"Being young, you know, in your 30s, active, you know, you kind of always think -- never me. And it could have been worse. At the end of the day, the message is don't ignore things. Get ahead of it," suggested Chrobak.
