Tyler Mane: X-Men actor reveals bombshell breast cancer diagnosis

Actor and retired professional wrestler Tyler Mane has gone public after being diagnosed with breast cancer, despite admitting his first instinct was to keep it a secret.

Taking to Facebook, Mane revealed he was about to start chemotherapy and invited followers to “come along on the journey” as he “kicked this thing in the ass”.

“I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to keep it secret. I mean it’s kind of embarrassing,” he wrote alongside a video post.

“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, who appeared as Sabretooth in X-Men and Deadpool Wolverine, plus roles in numerous other films including Troy and Joe Dirt, said one in 750 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, “and I’m one of them”.

Mane’s revelation has been greeted with a wave of support from his followers who have also begun sharing their own experiences with breast cancer.

“I had it 6 years ago. It’s pretty traumatic, but I caught it early, had a great oncology team and after surgery, chemo, hormone therapy, and some psychological therapy, because face it, it’s not a cancer I ever thought I’d have as a man. I can now consider myself cancer free” wrote one.

Another wrote, “My Grandfather passed away from breast cancer. It was in 1983 and he was only 59. Back then they didn’t know much so I am glad they can catch it early for men now.”

Peter Criss, a founding member of rock band Kiss, was diagnosed with breast cancer after noticing a lump in 2008. He underwent a lumpectomy and has since become a vocal advocate for men’s health.

It is estimated that more than 221 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia in 2024. The average age at diagnosis is 71 years old.