Guy Nakoa has survived two diagnoses of Stage IV breast cancer. He initially felt a lump in his breast while showering in 2000. Because it wasn't causing him and because he didn't think could not get a type of cancer associated with women, I went more than a decade before he chose to have the lump checked out. In 2014, he sought medical attention, he was diagnosed and in 2016, he had the lump removed; but in 2020, the cancer returned. He was hoping it could be removed with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, but over his initial objection, he agreed to a mastectomy of his left breast in 2024. For the rest of his life, he will need to be on two medications, ibrance and letrozole. Guy says from time to time he experiences fatigue but is very happy to be alive.

Guy Nakoa is from Wailuku on the island of Maui in Hawaii, but he has worked all over the world as a chef. He was on a job in Alaska in 2000, when while taking a shower, he was shocked to feel a lump in his left breast. Guy didn't tell anyone about it because it wasn't causing him any pain, and he felt too embarrassed to admit he may have a type of cancer that is generally associated with women.

He finally decided to have the lump examined in 2014. His doctor didn't seem to think there was anything cancerous and told Guy not to worry about it. Guy was misdiagnosed and he believes that, like he was, his doctor might have had difficulty connecting the lump with cancer because Guy is male. Guy went to another doctor, and in 2016, he underwent a biopsy, which revealed he had breast cancer.

Guy Nakoa had the lump removed in 2016. He underwent a chemotherapy regimen in 2017 and again in 2018. He says he lost his sense of taste, his anxiety level went "through the roof" and he had a tough time getting to sleep.

The surgery was a success, but in 2020, the cancer returned. Guy wanted to again treat it with chemotherapy and radiation, but his doctor urged him to get the breast removed. Guy eventually relented and the mastectomy took place in 2024.

Guy says these days, he can do just about anything he could do before he first felt the lump, but fatigue sometimes sets in, in a way it didn't prior to his diagnosis. By way of advice, he is quite adamant that, regardless of what seems irregular, if you notice something, anything abnormal about your health, to immediately seek medical attention.

Additional Resources:

Support Groups:

The Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance https://www.mbcglobalalliance.org

Man Up To Cancer https://www.manuptocancer.org

HIS Breast Cancer Awareness https://www.hisbreastcancer.org