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    Bob DeVito
    May 22, 2021
      ·  Edited: May 25, 2021

    Male Breast Cancer and other men's cancers: My Story

    in M-Forum

    Hi All, I promised Sophia on Clubhouse to start this forum, so here I am! I want to get the exchange going about men’s health—primarily male breast cancer and prostate cancer, which I have.


    A little about me: my name is Bob. I live in Connecticut. In 2012, I was diagnosed with stage 3a male breast cancer. I had a mastectomy with a sentinel node biopsy, and a plastic surgeon used a procedure called the butterfly closure to use my own tissue to build up my chest so it wouldn’t be concave; it would just be flat. While the plastic surgeon was closing me, the breast surgeon (I love them both) saw that the sentinel node and 2nd node were positive for breast cancer, and she removed those and 12 others—a total of 14. Seven of the nodes were positive for breast cancer. After some recuperation in the hospital for three days and then home for about 18 days, I had the JP drains pulled out. The drains collect the serosanguinous fluid from the surgery. I then met my oncologist, who scheduled me for 18 weeks of chemo. Once every three weeks. It consisted of Adriamycin (all breast cancer patients I know refer to Adriamycin as “The Red Devil”), Cytoxin, and Taxotere. I had a reaction to the Taxotere with the first drip or two. They stopped the IV and put me on lots of Benedryl and steroids. They called it, “lung spasm”. I’m telling you it felt like a heart attack. They restarted the IV after about 30-45 minutes after letting the Benedryl and steroids do their work, titrating the IV slowly until they got it set to the full running dosage.

    After about 2 weeks, I started 25 generous daily doses of radiation. That was easy-peasy compared to Chemotherapy. 25 minutes in and out total. It did leave me with a (sunburn-type) burn. Some people get it worse than others. The first 10 doses (days) of radiation, they used a gel pad that mimics skin and keeps the radiation closer to the surface to kill off and cancer cells there. And then doses 11-25 they didn’t use that pad. Now, I’m a hairy-chested guy. I now have a square patch where that pad was placed that not only got the worst of the burn, but I now have about ten hairs in the 1-foot square patch. And it’s been nine years. Oh well. It helps show off my mastectomy scar. Once my chemo and radiation were done, my medical oncologist put me on a hormone suppressant drug called Tamoxifen. My cancer type was ER/PR+, HER2-.

    So my breast cancer was feed by the estrogen and progesterone in my body. Being heavier than most, I probably had more estrogen and progesterone to feed my breast cancer. At the time, the dosing guidelines were changed from a 5-year regimen to a 10-year regimen. Lucky me! But I relegated myself to the fact that I was going to ask if there was any reason NOT to stay on it longer than ten years.


    In 2016, my blood work showed my PSA climbed to an all-time high of 7.7

    The urologist referred me to a urologist who specialized in managing prostate cancer cases. We have been taking the watchful waiting approach. I have had a couple of MRI Ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies. The last one was a couple of years ago now, and the biopsy came up with no cancer in any of the samples.


    Fast forward to September 2020. I go in to see my oncologist for my yearly visit. It was his last week at the practice he was working at before leaving to take a position at a large hospital-based oncology practice. He ordered a routine CT scan of my chest. He is following a few spots on my lung and an enlarged thymus. An hour and a half after later, the oncologist called me and said, “Bob, we need to talk about this CT scan.” At that point, he told me I had stage 4 metastatic cancer. I had a mass on my left chest wall, my left 2nd rib, a lymph node, and a nodule in the right lung.

    I’m doing well on my treatment for my metastatic cancer. I had a PET scan three months ago (Jan 2021) that showed improvement. I have another PET scan coming up on May 26th, 2021, to see if the treatment is still working. I feel good, actually. Tired and fatigued due to the treatment but feel good otherwise.


    My PSA has dropped to 1.8 now; one or two of the current drug regimen for my breast cancer also acts on prostate cancer. So, the urologist I see now said we can hold off on a biopsy for the time being.

    Please share your story, comment on mine. Just remember, this is a safe space—an extension of the Men and Mental Health room on the Clubhouse app. Feel free to reach out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.


    Editing here to add the instructions on how to do a male self breast exam:


    How to reach me:

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bob.devito

    Instagram: rmdevito

    Twitter: @bobdevito

    Cash app (Tips): $rmdevito


    Warmly,

    Bob DeVito


    This black and white photo is courtesy of David Jay Photography | The SCAR Project


    23 comments
    Michael Chiarizzi
    May 22, 2021

    Amazing!!! Truly blessed to have heard your story!! Welcome to the family!!!

    Bob DeVito
    May 23, 2021

    Thank you Michael ! Glad to be here.

    Bob DeVito
    May 25, 2021

    Here is the male self breast exam instructions:

    0
    mendable app
    May 23, 2021

    Thank you so much for sharing your story so vulnerably! You’ll no doubt change lives, because you are prepared to be open and honest here. it will help make others aware of these conditions that can effect men too, and we are thankful you have started this discussion. We love you, and we are here for you!

    jaihonspivey
    May 23, 2021

    @mendable app let just say i passed by over ten thousands men being Locked up his story was help deep

    SophiaMay
    May 23, 2021

    Bob... ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽 You are a true inspiration! Thank You for sharing this. We are blessed to have you as part of the mendable family, and we are here for you always! ❤️

    Bob DeVito
    May 25, 2021

    Here is the link on how to do a men's self breast exam to spread to the guys in the Clubhouse room:

    Robert Smith
    May 23, 2021

    Bob! I’m so moved my your transparency and courage! Your story is not only amazing but heart felt. thank you for sharing so much details. this will help inspire so many to become more knowledgeable about their body and health. much love Bob!!

    Bob DeVito
    May 25, 2021

    Robert... Thanks so very much for your kind words.

    johnny.ramirez3
    May 23, 2021

    Wow bob you are an amazing man! What gets me is that you are not gonna let this cancer get the best of you and i absolutely love it! I rarely see supermans nowadays and I’m so glad your part of the mendable family!! Now when I go for walks or runs for a cancer support you will now be on my mind and your name will be added to my shirts! God bless brother! Man what a story ♥️🙏🏽

    Bob DeVito
    May 25, 2021

    Johnny... Thank you so much. And I hope you will email me photos of your shirt with my name on it. My email is I'd love that. My story is one that must be told. So I tell it. It's my journey. I want to be sure we have everyone checking their tits. ;-) Here is a how-to link on male breast self exams:

    davidroachsfm
    May 23, 2021

    An amazing story by an amazing man. Thank you for sharing your testimony Bob. It will help so many more people. It is an honour to read this post and needless to say I am glad you are a part of the mendable family.


    Thank you!


    Bob DeVito
    May 25, 2021

    I appreciated the indulgence to allow me to tell my story. Has it affected my mental health. Hell yeah! But I need to carry on...especially now that I am stage 4 with metastatic spread all over the place. I have my next PET scan tomorrow morning. I'm scared as shit. But, it is better to know, than not know. The last scan 3 months ago showed improvement. The letrazole and the Ibrance seem to work well for folks.

    Here is a link to the male self breast exam:

    Jody Bloom
    May 23, 2021

    Wow!!! Your strength!! your resilience. You have become such a huge inspiration for me And the entire Mendable family. Not only are you starting a much needed conversation about Men’s Health and the importance of it You are showing us the right way to live this life. You found your purpose throughout your pain. I’m here for you my good brother In anyway that I can be. i look up to you and have such a high level of respect for you, for sharing your story & your pain to help others. we are a family now and forever. We love you! Thank you thank you thank you. the fight will never stop and we will be here loving and praying for you every chance we get! i can’t express enough how much of an inspiration you are, how blessed we are to have you here with us and how much we love you 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤


    Bob DeVito
    May 25, 2021

    Thanks so much. I appreciate being part of a kind and loving family. I am sharing the male breast self exam here, please share it with all the men in your life.