The Advocate and the Cancer Detective: Crusading for Change in Breast Cancer Care for Men

Breaking Bias: The Push for Gender-Inclusive Male Breast Cancer Diagnostics

In a world where pink ribbons and women's health dominate the narrative around breast cancer, Cheri Ambrose and Dr. Robert Bard are changing the script. At the helm of the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance (MBCGA), Ambrose, the organization’s president, and Dr. Bard, its leading medical advisor, are spearheading a movement to bring awareness, equity, and innovation to a frequently overlooked population—men with breast cancer.

Ambrose’s efforts are rooted in a history of grassroots activism. For over a decade, she has worked state by state to secure proclamations recognizing the third week of October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week—an effort that culminated in President Joe Biden’s 2021 national proclamation. Now, Ambrose is replicating that successful formula to push HB 433 beyond Pennsylvania, with aspirations to see it adopted nationwide and, ultimately, at the federal level.

While Ambrose builds bridges in policy, Dr. Robert Bard brings the technological firepower to male breast cancer diagnostics. An expert in advanced imaging, Dr. Bard has long criticized the medical community’s gendered blind spots. “Men are told to get a colonoscopy at 50 and that’s it,” he remarked. “They don’t hear about male breast cancer—it’s viewed as a woman’s disease.” This cultural bias contributes to diagnostic delays and worsened outcomes for men.

But technology is tipping the scales. Dr. Bard emphasizes that today’s tools, including ultrasound, elastography, and thermography, are redefining early detection. Unlike traditional mammograms, which can be uncomfortable and stigmatizing for male patients, these non-invasive methods offer accurate, radiation-free alternatives. “With a simple thermal camera, you can detect heat signatures of a tumor the same way a fireman detects a body in smoke,” Bard explained. “This allows men to get diagnosed quickly, affordably, and without the trauma or embarrassment.”

Importantly, these diagnostic technologies are becoming more mobile and accessible. Dr. Bard points to programs that deploy screening vans and even firetrucks outfitted with medical imaging tools to rural communities. "In Florida, every ambulance has an ultrasound and thermal imaging equipment. That kind of infrastructure should be national," he said.

Ambrose sees these innovations as critical to the Alliance's global mission. With partners and patients across continents, the MBCGA’s work transcends borders. “We’re called the Global Alliance for a reason,” she said. “Working together is working smarter.” Dr. Bard agrees, citing his own international training in Europe on diagnostic advancements like laser therapy and focused ultrasound. “The world is rich with knowledge—we just have to use it,” he said.

Both leaders also recognize the uphill battle in changing entrenched systems. Insurance limitations, outdated clinical trials, and exclusionary pharmaceutical labeling are persistent barriers. The Alliance actively partners with researchers and drug developers to ensure men are represented in data and treatment protocols.

Still, momentum is growing. Dr. Bard points to recent legislative wins, such as the federal law mandating ultrasound screenings for women with dense breast tissue—a success built on two decades of advocacy. “The same persistence will make male-centered diagnostics a reality,” he noted.

Looking forward, Ambrose envisions a future where men no longer feel invisible in the cancer conversation. She continues to collect and amplify the stories of male survivors, believing that real voices drive real change. “Breast cancer does not discriminate,” she affirmed. “It’s a disease of the people, and our job is to save lives—one person, one policy, one scan at a time.”

This commitment recently earned Ambrose the Heart of Advocacy Award at the National Consortium of Breast Centers—a recognition made sweeter by the very medical leaders who nominated her. For Dr. Bard, it was a fitting tribute to a partner who has redefined what’s possible through dedication and resolve.

As they set their sights on national reform and technological expansion, both Ambrose and Bard remain united by a singular goal: to ensure that male breast cancer is no longer an afterthought, but a front-line issue in global health.

---

A DISEASE WITHOUT A FACE:
Inside Pennsylvania’s groundbreaking insurance bill in support of male breast cancer 

For generations, breast cancer has been branded a woman’s disease — symbolized in pink ribbons, celebrated in women’s marches, and enshrined in medical protocols that largely overlooked one undeniable fact: men get breast cancer too.

It’s a silent crisis. Each year, thousands of men are diagnosed with breast cancer, many at later stages due to cultural bias, lack of awareness, and a clinical system ill-equipped to serve them. The consequences are devastating, yet until recently, little had been done to dismantle the barriers facing male patients.

That changed this year in Pennsylvania, where a legislative victory sought to make insurance coverage for breast cancer testing and screening gender-inclusive. But this is more than a legal footnote — it’s part of a global crusade led by advocates like Cheri Ambrose, CEP of the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance, and Dr. Robert Bard, a diagnostic imaging pioneer, who have made it their mission to unmask the bias baked into cancer care and demand better for men everywhere.

 

THE BATTLE FOR RECOGNITION

The road to House Bill 433 was neither swift nor easy. In October 2023, Ambrose stumbled upon a bill that sought to waive out-of-pocket costs for breast and ovarian cancer genetic testing — but only for women. “It was one of those moments where you stop and think, ‘How is this still happening?’” she recalled.

Ambrose, who has spent over a decade advocating for men with breast cancer, refused to stay silent. She contacted state legislators, campaigned for amendments, and made the case for gender-neutral language. “We’re not asking for special treatment,” she explained. “We’re asking to be included.”

The bill’s passage marked what Dr. Bard called a “touchdown for men’s health.” And while Pennsylvania may be the first, advocates hope it won’t be the last. “This is the start of a ripple effect,” Ambrose said. “We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.”

 

A HISTORY OF BIAS IN THE CANCER WARS

To understand the significance of this moment, one must understand the deeply rooted bias that has defined cancer care. Bard, a veteran diagnostic specialist, described how male breast cancer has long been dismissed in both public consciousness and medical practice. “Men are told to get a colonoscopy at 50 — and that’s it,” he said. “Nobody talks about their risk for breast cancer. It’s been treated as a woman’s disease, period.”

The result? Delayed diagnoses, advanced-stage tumors, and preventable deaths.

Ambrose pointed out the isolating experience male patients endure in clinical settings designed exclusively for women. “Imagine being a man in a waiting room at a women’s breast center, surrounded by 50 women, with everyone staring,” she said. “That’s enough to keep a lot of men from ever getting checked.”

It’s a bias reinforced by years of underreporting and lack of male-specific advocacy. Bard added, “In medicine, what isn’t talked about doesn’t get researched, and what isn’t researched doesn’t get funded. That’s how health disparities endure.”

 

TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS AND THE PROMISE OF CHANGE

What makes this legislative progress even more timely is the emergence of technologies tailored to minimize invasive procedures — breakthroughs that are especially welcome for men, many of whom avoid traditional breast screening methods.

“In Europe and Canada, they’ve been using thermal imaging and ultrasound elastography for years,” Bard noted. “These techniques detect tumors by measuring heat and tissue stiffness, with no radiation, no pain, no compression.”

Ambrose reacted to these revelations with palpable excitement. “It’s incredible to think men might never have to endure a mammogram or biopsy again,” she said. “This is what advocacy should lead to — not just policy change, but clinical innovation.”

 

A GLOBAL MOVEMENT, ONE STATE AT A TIME

The Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance didn’t earn its name casually. For over a decade, Ambrose has worked internationally, connecting male survivors, collecting their stories, and advocating for awareness in countries from Canada to Australia. Back home, she spearheaded a campaign that convinced 45 U.S. governors to declare the third week of October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week, culminating in a federal recognition by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Her strategy? Start local. Build momentum. Make noise. “This bill is the same playbook,” she explained. “We’ll go state by state, one after another, until this is a national standard. And then we’ll take it to Washington.”

 

THE POIGNANT REALITY: BIAS STILL KILLS

While progress is tangible, both Ambrose and Bard are quick to remind us that bias in medicine has life-or-death consequences. “Delayed diagnosis kills,” Bard emphasized. “The tragedy is that so many of these cases are treatable — if caught early.”

Ambrose reflected on the men she’s met along the way — those who found tumors by accident, those misdiagnosed, those who were told ‘it’s probably nothing.’ “These men deserve better,” she said. “They deserve to have their stories told, their risk acknowledged, and their lives valued.”

 

CONCLUSION: A NEW CHAPTER, BUT THE SAME FIGHT

The passage of Pennsylvania’s House Bill 433 is a victory — but it’s also a call to action. It reminds us that systemic bias can be undone, but only through unrelenting advocacy, public pressure, and innovation.

Dr. Bard summed up the moment’s meaning. “This isn’t just about male breast cancer. It’s about how medicine can’t afford to ignore people because of gender, age, or assumptions. Advocacy works. Change is possible.”

For Cheri Ambrose, the mission continues. “It’s not enough for Pennsylvania to get it right,” she said. “We need every state. Every country. Every hospital. And we’re going to get there — one story, one patient, and one law at a time.”

 

www.mbcglobalalliance.org

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CANCER SCIENCE NEWS

Diagnostic Innovation Against Invisibility

Dr. Robert Bard’s commitment to combating male breast cancer extends beyond the clinic and into the annals of medical technology itself. As one of the early U.S. adopters of diagnostic ultrasound for breast cancer and a vocal critic of one-size-fits-all screening models, Bard has spent decades exploring better, less invasive ways to detect tumors in men and women alike.

“In the 1980s, I was reading about blood flow imaging on breast cancer being done in London while nobody was doing it here,” Bard recalled. “So, I flew to Hammersmith Hospital and learned it myself.” That spirit of curiosity and defiance has fueled Bard’s career as both a physician and patient advocate.

He subsequently traveled to Denmark and France to study early laser and thermal imaging systems, technologies now embraced for detecting not only breast cancer but also thyroid, prostate, and skin cancers. “Medicine evolves when we stop assuming that yesterday’s rules serve today’s patients,” Bard said. “The world has a lot to offer if you’re willing to look.”

Today, Bard’s diagnostic practice champions the use of thermal imaging, ultrasound elastography, and Doppler vascular mapping for male breast cancer detection. These methods measure tissue stiffness and abnormal heat patterns associated with tumors — offering a painless, radiation-free alternative to traditional mammography. “Thermal imaging lets you see a tumor light up like a light bulb,” Bard explained. “No compression, no radiation, no invasive biopsy to confirm what advanced imaging can already show you.”

Confronting the Stigma
Male breast cancer continues to carry a dangerous stigma — often dismissed as a "women’s disease," leaving countless men undiagnosed until the disease has progressed. This bias, coupled with a broader societal disregard for routine screenings beyond colonoscopies in men, contributes to higher morbidity rates and poorer outcomes.

Understanding the Facts
While male breast cancer accounts for approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases, studies reveal a doubled incidence — up to 2% — among first responders and individuals exposed to environmental toxins. The anatomic structure of male breast tissue presents unique challenges: with glandular tissue positioned close to the chest wall, the risk of early metastasis is heightened, and conventional mammography proves less effective due to imaging limitations.

Moreover, age-related gynecomastia often complicates diagnostic accuracy, underscoring the need for advanced imaging to distinguish benign tissue from malignancy.

The Evolution of Imaging for Male Breast Cancer
Traditional mammography can reveal suspicious lesions, but it falls short in characterizing the complex and often heterogeneous nature of contemporary cancer pathology. Modern tumors may present with a mix of tumor necrosis, fibrosis, immune cell infiltration, and benign tissue — subtleties that are difficult to assess through mammography alone.

To enhance diagnostic precision and surgical planning, clinicians are increasingly integrating advanced imaging modalities following baseline ultrasound, CT, and MRI studies. These physiologic assessments, performed in real-time, help bridge the gaps between genetic testing results and conventional histologic analysis, offering a more comprehensive picture of tumor behavior.

Unlike preserved tissue samples evaluated in pathology labs, these dynamic studies capture live biological processes, providing critical insights into tumor activity, vascularity, and immune response — factors pivotal for personalized, targeted treatment strategies.

Conclusion: A Call for Awareness and Innovation
Breaking down the stigma surrounding male breast cancer is vital for early detection and improved survival. Equally important is the adoption of modern imaging technologies that move beyond static anatomical imaging, offering functional, real-time assessments tailored to the unique challenges of male breast anatomy and cancer presentation. The future of male breast cancer care lies not just in awareness but in a willingness to embrace innovation — ensuring that no patient is overlooked because of outdated assumptions.

For more information on the specialized work of Dr. Bard or his early detection and monitoring programs for MALE BREAST CANCER, visit: www.barddiagnostics.com or www.thecancerdetective.org

Disclaimer & Copyright Notice: The materials provided on this web-based article are copyrighted and the intellectual property of the publishers/producers (The MBC Global Alliance). It is provided publicly strictly for informational purposes within non-commercial use and not for purposes of resale, distribution, public display or performance. Unless otherwise indicated on this web based page, sharing, re-posting, re-publishing of this work is strictly prohibited without due permission from the publishers.  Also, certain content may be licensed from third-parties. The licenses for some of this Content may contain additional terms. When such Content licenses contain additional terms, we will make these terms available to you on those pages (which his incorporated herein by reference).The publishers/producers of this site and its contents such as videos, graphics, text, and other materials published are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, please always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified health provider. Do not postpone or disregard any professional medical advice over something you may have seen or read on this website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.  This website does not support, endorse or recommend any specific products, tests, physicians, procedures, treatment opinions or other information that may be mentioned on this site. Referencing any content or information seen or published in this website or shared by other visitors of this website is solely at your own risk. The publishers/producers of this Internet web site reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, disable access to, or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, all or any part of this Internet web site or any information contained thereon without liability or notice to you.

The information provided in this article is a compiled report from public websites whose links are listed in the FOOTNOTES OR REFERENCE section and the statements and quotes included are from actual interviews by those whose names are stated who provided express consent to the publishing of this material.  This article is not meant to be used to diagnose, treat or advise others about what actions they should take with regard to any medical condition.  No one should undertake or discontinue any treatment as a result of what they read on our blogs. The publisher(s), editors or sponsors  are providing a strictly educational or editorial service and are not responsible for the diagnosis or treatment of any specific health needs. Writers and publishers are not liable for any damages or negative consequences from any treatment, action, application or preparation to any person(s) reading the information in this article or its thread. Readers with medical needs should obtain appropriate professional medical supervision. References are provided for any informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any websites or other sources.