After the Seattle Times Op-Ed

After He Said Cancer | August 4, 2026

Last Sunday, the Seattle Times published my Editorial, “Breast cancer strikes men too. I know, my husband is one of them.”

I wasn’t expecting what happened next.

My inbox at work began filling up with women writing to me, whose husbands, fathers and sons had been diagnosed with male breast cancer. Many had died from the disease.

The first email I received was from Vicki Wolf Singer, a woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37. After genetic testing, she discovered that she was a genetic carrier of the BRCA2 mutation, which is one of the more common genetic mutations that puts men at risk for breast cancer.

After a few years, her brother noticed a change in the appearance of his nipple. After seeing a doctor, he was also diagnosed with male breast cancer. Collectively, she and her brother have 5 sons who are at risk.

Similar to our experience, they discovered that everything about the breast cancer experience is geared towards women, including the messaging, research, and efforts toward prevention. When they couldn’t find any information about male breast cancer, they started their own foundation: HIS Breast Cancer Awareness.

The siblings were featured on Good Morning America, which is an incredible segment. I encourage you to watch it. The part that shocked me was that both of the show hosts happened to have brothers diagnosed with male breast cancer.

I believe in my heart that male breast cancer is underdiagnosed and undercounted.

If you are interested in hearing more about HIS Breast Cancer Awareness, and what it is like for their family to navigate life with a genetic mutation, I encourage you to check out their videos:

1.

2. https://www.youtube.com/tch?v=AubZYYmu04M

I am grateful for this new connection, and how the work on my book can interface with the many good people that are struggling to raise awareness for male breast cancer. I also want to thank Barbara Clements and UW Medicine, who have consistently championed promoted my writing whether it be scientific manuscripts or Op-Eds about male breast cancer.

UW Medicine posted about my Op-Ed on their LinkedIn page, which has 45,000+ followers. From their post:

“In her recent op-ed in The Seattle Times, OB-GYN Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf describes rising cancer rates in people under 50, including breast cancer.

"The reason for this increase isn’t known, but it has been speculated to be caused by rising rates of obesity and exposure to chemicals and cancer-causing agents," says Dr. Waldorf.

She notes that the American Cancer Society recommends men at “high risk” for male breast cancer should speak to their doctors about whether and how they should be screened to detect an early cancer, but many might not recognize themselves as being at a higher risk.

Dr. Waldorf says that men should watch out for a small mass that is often under the nipple. Any lump in a man’s breast should be checked by a doctor and followed up with an imaging test, such as a mammogram or ultrasound. If the nipple has changed in appearance and become inverted, this is also a warning sign.”

Family life has been busy recently, but I will get back to more book writing in September, and perhaps another Op-Ed in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Yes, I will!

Hope you are well and enjoying the last month of summer,

Kristina