For Kelly, tragically, two more PET scans revealed that the cancer had spread further and his tumour had grown. Sharing a piece of advice to other men, Kelly urges regular tests if their instincts tell them something is not right.
Breast cancer is often more common in women compared to men, but this chronic disease does not discriminate by gender or age. Hence, men can have breast cancer too! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that about 1 out of 100 breast cancers is identified in men in the United States.
Adding to this discussion is a recent incident involving a 42-yr-old chef named Mat Kelly, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, despite being in good health. According to reports, Kelly first experienced a lump in October 2024 in America, while working in Chicago to assist with the opening of a new restaurant.
However, he initially ignored the sign, assuming it was simply a benign lump that would go away in a couple of days. It wasn't until his fianc e Rachel insisted on visiting a doctor and a general practitioner advised further tests to "push for progress and answers" that the diagnosis arrived just two days before Christmas.
His following medical examination brought devastating news when a PET scan revealed that the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes and bones, including the spine, which he described as a 'gut punch'.
"When I came back to England at the end of October, I noticed my nipple started to invert and I thought, that isn't normal, and I booked a doctor's appointment," Kelly explained, talking about his stage 4 cancer diagnosis. "I ended up with more lesions on my spine and it had spread to my pelvis and my ribs."
He added, "I think having bad news after bad news after bad news, it was horrifically frustrating."
Kelly, who now lives with his fianc e, told a leading media outlet, "I'm currently in a state of cancer limbo, where I have no metabolic sign of cancer, but the only thing keeping it at bay is the treatment. I'm on chemo for the rest of my life every three weeks, but currently, I have no form of cancer within me, so I've had an amazing response to it.
Finding silver linings even in dark times, the 42-year-old further added, "They say some people who have my level of response have the ability to live for years and years, so hopefully there is hope out there."
For Kelly, tragically, two more PET scans revealed that the cancer had spread further and his tumour had grown. Sharing a piece of advice to other men, Kelly urges regular tests if their instincts tell them something is not right. In his words, "I'd just say to men, check your chests and check yourself and, if something's not right, go to the doctor...For me, it's just super important that people actually follow through with it and don't put things off because it can be the difference between life and death."
Kelly's cancer is incurable, but he is currently having Enhertu, a combination of a targeted therapy drug and chemotherapy, to help him enjoy life to the fullest while keeping the cancer at bay.