X-Men Star Tyler Mane Diagnosed With Rare Form of Breast Cancer

X-Men actor Tyler Mane has been diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer.

Mane announced the news on his Instagram, revealing that he was initially embarrassed and thought about keeping it private, but was told that was part of the issue. Because men don’t talk about it, it’s not known about. Mane also noted that his doctors were dismissive of the idea before his wife pushed him to get a lump removed.

“I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to keep it secret,” said Mane. “I mean it’s kind of embarrassing. But then I found out that men are more likely to be diagnosed in advance stages BECAUSE it’s not talked about and not looked for. In fact, my doctors all dismissed it and it was only because my wife pushed me to get the lump removed that I got in early.”

Mane noted that only 1% of breast cancer diagonoses are found in men, but it’s actually very treatable if found early enough. The actor noted that he would be covering his journey on his Instagram and is hoping to spread more awareness of the issue. If you’d like to learn more about breast cancer in men, the American Cancer Society has a detailed article on everything there is to know about the matter.

Mane is best known for playing Sabretooth in the first X-Men film, and in X-Men: The Official Video Game. While Liev Schreiber stepped in as the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Mane reprised the role in a cameo for Deadpool & Wolverine, where he’s immediately killed by Wolverine. Mane is known for his imposing physique, as he stands at a whopping 6’9”. Rob Zombie has cast the actor in a number of films, including as Michael Myers in his reimagining of the Halloween films.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.