Peter Criss, the original drummer of the band KISS, had just celebrated his one-year anniversary of beating breast cancer. He considers himself “the luckiest man in the planet.”
Upon finding a malignant tumor in his breast, Criss was able to treat it before it spread throughout his body. Known as ‘Catman,’ Criss believes this was a blessing in disguise and he was chosen to speak on behalf of the deadly disease, even in men.
During National Breast Cancer Awareness month, campaigns and public survive announcements are typically targeted towards women. However, almost 2,000 breast cancer cases are found in men each year.
“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.
“All men have some residual degree of breast tissue behind the nipples. It may be very small, but just like any part of the body can get cancer, that part of the body can get cancer,” said Dr. Giordano.
Peter Criss noticed a lump on his chest and was able to treat it in the early stages of cancer:
“I go to the gym; I’ve been drumming since I was a kid. So I’m very aware of my body,” he said. “So when this happened I said, ‘Jesus, what’s this thing?’ “
The 63 year-old rocker is proud to stand with other men and build a network of awareness for a disease that can be caught early and can save a life. The natural structure of a male body displays a tumor more clearly and is therefore much easier to identify than on a woman. Based on this fact, men are encouraged to consult their physicians when something like that appears on their chest.
According to Vitals.com, Dr. Sharon Giordano is a Medical Oncologist who finished her medical degree at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, one of the top ranked universities for primary care by US News & World Report.



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