A Father's Breast Cancer Journey
- A New York father of five, Johnfredrick Daniels, 41, is confronting a rare male breast cancer diagnosis and drawing strength from his children and his art.
- He first noticed a lump in his chest and was shocked to learn men can develop breast cancer; his type is HER2‑positive, requiring chemotherapy and surgery.
- HER2-positive breast cancer cells that have receptors for either estrogen or progesterone — or both — are considered hormone receptor positive. These hormones can help fuel the growth of cancer cells.
- “[HER2-positive breast cancer] can be very responsive to what we call targeted antibody therapies,” medical oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Comen at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center explains.
- “This HER2 receptor sits on the outside of the cell, but there are ways that we can actually block the ability of that HER2 receptor to stimulate the cell from growing,” Dr. Comen added.
- Some drugs that help treat HER-positive breast cancer include: trastuzumab (brand name: Herceptin), pertuzumab (brand name: Perjeta), and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (brand name: Kadcyla) that specifically target HER2+ cells, inhibiting their growth and reducing the risk of recurrence.
- Daniels’ Buffalo, New York community has rallied behind him, and he’s embraced a new role as a male breast cancer advocate, using his murals and his story to educate others about the disease.
He’s now drawing strength from the people and passions that ground him, including his love of painting and the unwavering support of his children.
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Thinking of his sons keeps him focused.
“If I don’t fight this the best way I can, then I’m not giving them a good chance to have their dad around,” he said. “I told them, ‘Just know your dad is going to fight,’ and they said, ‘We know. That’s what he does.’”
Daniels first noticed something was wrong when he felt a small lump in his chest. Further testing confirmed male breast cancer — a diagnosis he struggled to believe. “When they told me, I thought, ‘There’s no way I have breast cancer. I’m a guy.’”
Male breast cancer is rare, according to the National Cancer Institute — about 2,800 cases are expected this year, compared to nearly 298,000 in women — but it can be just as serious. Experts urge men to pay attention to changes such as lumps, swelling, or discomfort, especially since men aren’t routinely screened the way women are.
HER2-positive breast cancer cells that have receptors for either estrogen or progesterone — or both — are considered hormone receptor positive. These hormones can help fuel the growth of cancer cells.
For treatment, he needed multiple rounds of chemotherapy and eventually surgery to remove lymph nodes under his arm. The impacts of chemo revealed themselves in more ways than one when his once long, hard hair started to fall out.
WATCH: Treatment for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
The reality of treatment hit him hard when his long hair began to fall out.
“I pulled my hair, and some came out. That’s when it felt real,” he said.
He eventually made the emotional decision to cut off the dreadlocks he had been growing for four years.
“Do you want to tell me why we’re cutting them off?” Daniels’ barber asked.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the way my treatment is going to go is I’ve got to do chemo first for nine cycles, and before I lose my hair and lose my locks, I’d rather just cut them off,” Daniels said.
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His children remain his biggest motivation, but his community in Buffalo has rallied around him, too. Known for his vibrant murals across the city, Daniels has used his art to raise awareness about male breast cancer — a disease many people still don’t realize exists.
“Online, I’ve answered hundreds of people saying they didn’t know men could get breast cancer. That’s the scary part. If so many people don’t know, then there are men out there who have it and don’t realize it,” he said.
Despite his early fears, Daniels has stepped into a new role as an advocate, sharing his story to help others.
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Support has poured in.
“I am so proud of you willing to share your story. I am a two-time breast cancer survivor,” Instagram user Zell Randle said.
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“From one survivor to another, you’ve got this. God is with you,” Instagram user Tuttie Clay Carter said.
Helping Patients Cope with a Cancer Diagnosis
- It’s All About Awareness and Education — Why I Advocate for Male Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer Drugs Are Rarely Tested in Male Patients — Now The FDA Wants to Fix That
- There’s Not Much Out There About Male Breast Cancer — Let’s Change That
- The Journey of Transformation — ‘Emotionally, Mentally, Physically, Spiritually’ — Survivors Reflect on Life After Breast Cancer
Treating HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
HER2-positive breast cancer has higher‑than‑normal levels of the HER2 protein on the surface of tumor cells. That excess protein essentially acts like a stuck accelerator, driving the cancer to grow and spread more quickly than many hormone-driven tumors.
HER2 — short for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 — is one of the many receptors found on most cells in the body. Its job is to help regulate when cells grow, divide, repair themselves, and survive. In healthy tissue, HER2 signals at the right moments to keep cell growth in balance.
During diagnosis, breast cells are tested to see how much HER2 protein they carry. When there’s an overabundance of HER2 receptors (a condition called overexpression), breast cells can multiply too rapidly. That uncontrolled growth can lead to tumor formation.
HER2-positive breast cancers tend to grow faster, spread more easily, and have a higher chance of coming back. The good news is that they respond very well to targeted therapies designed to block the HER2 protein and slow the cancer down.
“The HER2 receptor and the discovery of it have really revolutionized and changed the landscape for how we treat breast cancer,” Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explains to SurvivorNet.
WATCH: HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment Options Explained
Treatment for HER2-Positive breast cancer may include the following approaches (or a combination of several):
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Targeted drugs
“[HER2-positive breast cancer] can be very responsive to what we call targeted antibody therapies. What does that mean? So, again, this HER2 receptor sits on the outside of the cell, but there are ways that we can actually block the ability of that HER2 receptor to stimulate the cell from growing,” Dr. Comen explained.
Some drugs that help treat HER-positive breast cancer include: trastuzumab (brand name: Herceptin), pertuzumab (brand name: Perjeta), and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (brand name: Kadcyla) that specifically target HER2+ cells, inhibiting their growth and reducing the risk of recurrence.
These treatments can be used together with chemotherapy and are usually used as front-line treatments. That means it will be the first treatment you receive, says Dr. Comen.
Better Understanding Male Breast Cancer
Like women, men have breast tissue and can develop breast cancer. Breast cancer starts when cells in the breast start growing out of control, typically forming a tumor that’s felt as a lump.
WATCH: Men Get Breast Cancer Too
A man’s risk of developing breast cancer may be higher if there’s a history of breast cancer in the family. Typically, male breast cancer manifests as lumps in the chest area. Factors like a patient’s race can impact the prognosis. Five types of standard treatment are used to treat breast cancer in men:
- Surgery for breast cancer in men mirrors the procedure in women. A modified radical mastectomy removes the whole breast with cancer. The result may involve removing the nipple, according to the National Cancer Institute.
- Chemotherapy involves cancer-killing drugs to prevent the cancer cells from growing. Chemo drugs are usually taken orally or intravenously.
- Hormone therapy involves removing hormones or blocking their ability to help cancer cells grow.
- In radiation therapy, high-energy beams such as X-rays are aimed at cancer cells to kill them.
- Targeted therapy treatment uses drugs designed to target specific cancer cells.
WATCH: Marc Futterweit shares his breast cancer journey.
When Marc Futterweit was told to get a mammogram by his doctor, like Roundtree, he, too, was in disbelief.
“I said, What do you mean by a mammogram?’ I don’t have breasts,” Futterweit recalled saying.
However, a second opinion from another physician confirmed Futterweit had breast cancer.
“When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t tell my wife. I thought I was holding it together,” Futterweit said.
When his family learned he was battling breast cancer, they supported him. Having a support group filled with loved ones is an important part of a cancer patient’s journey toward survivorship, according to experts SurvivorNet has spoken to.
He realized that with their support, having male breast cancer is nothing to be ashamed of.
“Men are basically standing in the shadows, they’re ashamed or embarrassed,” Futterweit says.
“Just remember, it’s nothing that you have done to cause you to get breast cancer. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s not a woman’s disease,” he continued.
When to Screen for Breast Cancer
The medical community has a broad consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should now start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
WATCH: Mammograms are still the best tool for detecting breast cancer.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before the age of 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Regular Self-Exams Are Helpful In Between Mammograms
A self-breast exam is an easy way to monitor your breasts for abnormalities. It involves feeling the breast for swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple.
WATCH: How to perform a self-exam.
Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found that is concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.
Help Coping With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.
WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions.
If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.
SurvivorNet experts suggest that women who need a little extra help coping with a breast cancer diagnosis.
- Let your family and close friends know, and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support, but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
- Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your thoughts throughout the day.
- Join a cancer support group. Groups in nearly every community offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
- Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you have a breast cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet suggests the following questions to kickstart your conversation with your doctor.
- Do I have dense breasts?
- Do I need to undergo additional or more sensitive screening?
- How is my risk level being assessed?
- Will insurance cover additional screening if needed?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
