Breast cancer-suffering MAN who beat the disease is diagnosed with it for a second time at million-to-one odds

A breast cancer-suffering man has been diagnosed with the disease for a second time at million-to-one odds.

Peter Fleming, 79 was first diagnosed with breast cancer - a disease that rarely affects men - in 2005.

The retired civil servant was given the all-clear by doctors last year.

But sadly, within a year, he was told the disease had returned and doctors said this time his condition is incurable.

Mr Fleming was diagnosed with breast cancer while training for the London Marathon seven years ago. He went to see his GP after experiencing pain in his chest and thought he had strained a muscle while running.

But doctors suspected something more serious was wrong and sent him for hospital tests. He underwent a mammogram which revealed he had breast cancer.

Mr Fleming, who lives in Sale with his wife Marjorie, 70, had radiotherapy at The Christie specialist cancer hospital in Manchester and was put on daily medication to get rid of the cancer.

The treatment appeared to have worked and he was told he was cancer-free in March last year.

But 12 months later at his check-up, he was given the devastating news that the disease had returned.

He said: 'The first diagnosis was a complete shock. I wasn’t aware that men could be susceptible to breast cancer - it was something I didn’t really know much about.

Mr Fleming is now undergoing treatment at The Christie in Withington to try and prolong his life.

He is speaking about his illness to raise awareness of the disease, which affects one in 10 women and one in 1000 men.

According to a breast cancer charity, the chances of a man being diagnosed with the disease for the second time is one-in-a-million.

The retired civil servant is having treatment at The Christie specialist cancer hospital in Manchester, pictured

Mr Fleming is planning to abseil down the Corn Exchange in Manchester to raise money for Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention - the UK’s only charity dedicated entirely to the prevention and prediction of breast cancer.

The Wythenshawe-based charity is carrying out research into the disease - and Peter is urging other people to sign up for the abseil challenge on October 20.

Mr Fleming added: 'Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention is a charity very close to my heart. It has been a real support to me over the years and I hope that the abseil will help to highlight that both men and women can be affected by breast cancer. I might be 79 years old, but I’m still a sprightly fellow.'

Pam Glass, founder of Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention, said: 'We’re extremely grateful for the great lengths that fundraisers, like Peter, are going to for Genesis.'

ONE MAN FOR EVERY 130 WOMEN IS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER

Symptoms of breast cancer include a lump on the breast, an inverted nipple, an open infected sore and discharge

There are about 370 men diagnosed each year in the UK with breast cancer, compared with about 48,400 cases of breast cancer in women, making it very rare.

That's roughly about one man for every 130 women diagnosed.

The symptoms, diagnosis and treatment are all very similar to women with breast cancer, but the risks and causes vary slightly.

Similarly to women, the biggest risk factor for male breast cancer is getting older and most are cases are diagnosed in men between the ages of 60 and 70.

High oestrogen levels, exposure to radiation, family history and Klinefelter’s Syndrome, a genetic problem that only affects males, are other causes of breast cancer.

The most common symptom for men is a lump in the breast area – nearly always painless.

Other symptoms can include an inverted nipple, oozing from the nipple and an infected open sore.

In terms of removing the cancer, the most common form of operation for men is the removal of the whole breast. Sometimes the surgeon also removes part of the underlying muscle if it is close to the cancer.

Daily Mail