Nurse spots skin issue during prep, leads to rare cancer diagnosis

A routine gallbladder surgery in Mitchell, S.D., ended with a rare cancer diagnosis for Brett Bassett. The discovery came not from the operation itself, but from a pre-surgical check by the nursing team.

Nurse Missy Graham noticed crusting on Bassett's nipple while preparing him for the procedure. She flagged the issue to the surgeon, Chris Vogl, MD. Vogl told Bassett that male breast cancer is uncommon, but the appearance was concerning enough to warrant a biopsy.

The biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. It was the most common type of breast cancer, a condition that affects roughly one in 800 men. Bassett described the news as devastating and scary.

Vogl performed the cancer removal surgery. Tests showed the cancer had not spread to Bassett's lymph nodes. A follow-up visit a few weeks later confirmed the site was healing well.

Bassett is currently cancer-free. He is taking a hormonal therapy pill to lower the chance of the disease returning. He also met with a medical oncologist to discuss long-term risk reduction.

Graham said she checks patients over for scratches or blisters near the operative site to prevent infection. She noted that this routine attention to detail is standard for surgery nurses. Vogl added that the team works collectively to care for the whole patient, not just the immediate surgical problem.

Bassett is now thanking the team for what he says saved his life. He advised other men to check for lumps or abnormalities, noting that the condition is rare but not unheard of.