Beyoncé’s dad, Mathew Knowles, in the wake of breast cancer month worldwide revealed in a candid interview that he has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The 67-year-old, who formerly managed his daughter’s band, Destiny’s Child, has spoken about his diagnosis in an interview with Good Morning America.
Mathew’s revelation coincides with the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place every October. During the interview, he revealed he has been diagnosed with breast cancer, which is very rare for men.
.@MathewKnowles’ message for others after his breast cancer diagnosis: “I’m hoping by me coming here today, speaking out, letting folks know, that you can survive this but it has to be early detection and I can’t overemphasize the word early.” https://t.co/zMRJ4O03lS pic.twitter.com/pctiQAP4Y8
— Good Morning America (@GMA) October 2, 2019
Mathew Knowles is popularly known for putting together Destiny’s Child and going on to manage both Beyoncé and Solange’s solo careers – split with his daughters’ mother, Tina, in 2011. He went on to have two more children with his second wife, Gena.
Beyoncé hasn’t posted about her father’s cancer diagnosis on social media yet.
Breast cancer can occur in men, despite it being rare. While 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, the statistics are far lower in men. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, 319 men in the UK were diagnosed with the disease in 2017, compared to 46,000 women.
Men over the age of 60 are more vulnerable to the condition, which can develop in the small amount of breast tissue men have behind their nipples.
Similarly to women, the NHS says symptoms of breast cancer in men can include:
- A lump in the breast – usually hard, painless and non-mobile
- An inverted nipple
- Nipple discharge, which may contain blood
- A persistent sore or rash around the nipple
- Hard, red or swollen skin surrounding the nipple
- Small bumps in the armpit, which are swollen glands
