What happened, in summary

Ken Gremling was 75 when he noticed a lump in his right breast while showering, along with slight bleeding from the nipple. He had examined his breasts for nearly 30 years after a blood pressure medicine caused breast enlargement. Ken promptly contacted his primary care doctor, and a mammogram and biopsy led to a breast cancer diagnosis in late 2017.

Ken underwent a right mastectomy, which removed all of the cancer. He did not need chemotherapy or radiation therapy. After surgery, he began tamoxifen, planned for 5 years, and chose not to have breast reconstruction.

Male breast cancer is uncommon, but Ken's habit of paying attention to breast changes helped him seek care quickly. Six months later, his wife Jane was also diagnosed with right breast cancer, and the couple supported each other through treatment. Ken used humor to manage the experience and described cancer as another problem to face rather than something that would define his life. His clinicians considered his outlook for full recovery excellent.