CNN) — A year after beating breast cancer, Peter Criss, a founding member of the rock band KISS, calls himself “the luckiest man in the planet.”
While some men feel embarrassed because of “this macho crap,” Criss said surviving breast cancer — yes, men get it, too — was actually a blessing. He was treated before the tumor could spread and said he’s speaking about male breast cancer now — during National Breast Cancer Awareness month — to raise the profile of this rare disease.
Criss, who played drums for KISS and was known as “Catman,” offered this advice to men who spot lumps in their breast: “Don’t sit around playing Mr. Tough Guy. Don’t say ‘It’s going to go away.’ It might not and you might not see life anymore and how beautiful that is.”
The 63-year-old musician is now cancer free. Like many others, Criss wasn’t aware men could get breast cancer.
“Even though we don’t think of men as having breasts, they have breast tissue and are susceptible to getting breast cancer,” said Dr. Sharon Giordano, an associate professor of medicine in the department of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She is not involved in Criss’ care.
October 15th, 2009 - 11:37 pm
Kudos to you!! My husband had male breast cancer over 15 years ago and is still cancer free now. Male breast cancer is something that more people need to be aware of and that it can be treated and survived.