A chef diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, which will mean lifelong chemotherapy, is urging all men to "check their chests". Mat Kelly, 42, residing in New Cross, London, with his fiancée Rachel, discovered a lump in his chest in October last year while working in America, assisting with the launch of a new restaurant in Chicago.

Mat told PA Real Life: "I'm currently in a state of cancer limbo, where I have no metabolic sign of cancer, but the only thing keeping it at bay is the treatment. I'm on chemo for the rest of my life every three weeks, but currently, I have no form of cancer within me, so I've had an amazing response to it. They say some people who have my level of response have the ability to live for years and years, so hopefully there is hope out there."

He added: "I'd just say to men, check your chests and check yourself and, if something's not right, go to the doctor. For me, it's just super important that people actually follow through with it and don't put things off because it can be the difference between life and death."

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Before receiving his diagnosis, Mat described himself as a "workaholic" but was otherwise in good health.

He was aware that men could develop breast cancer, though he believed it mainly affected elderly men.

According to NHS inform, the cause of male breast cancer remains unclear, but most cases impact men over the age of 60.

Whilst working in America in October last year, Mat found a lump in his right breast tissue, though he initially "didn't think much of it" until he spotted another warning sign.

He explained: "When I came back to England at the end of October, I noticed my nipple started to invert and I thought, that isn't normal, and I booked a doctor's appointment."

Following his GP visit, Mat said he was sent to Lewisham Hospital, then Guy's Hospital, where he underwent an ultrasound and biopsy. He was subsequently told he had breast cancer on December 23 – roughly seven weeks after initially finding the lump – leaving him feeling "numb".

With Christmas and New Year approaching, Mat said consultations were limited, but he was informed he required a PET scan, which occurred in January. He said the findings showed the cancer was at stage 4 and had metastasised, explaining: "It showed that I had two lumps in my chest, a lump in my armpit and four lesions on my spine."

Mat opted for "aggressive" chemotherapy, specifically full-dose Docetaxel and Phesgo, completing six cycles of this treatment. Nevertheless, at the three-month stage, Mat discovered the therapy had not been "effective at all".

"I ended up with more lesions on my spine and it had spread to my pelvis and my ribs," he said. Mat was recommended to complete the six cycles, but afterwards, he discovered he had cancer in 21 sections of his spine, plus in his pelvis, ribcage and the centre of his ribs.

"I think having bad news after bad news after bad news, it was horrifically frustrating," Mat said. "Plus, all the side effects and all the feeling ill were from the treatment... so there were points where I thought, why am I doing this? Why am I physically making myself feel more ill while it's getting worse?" Mat revealed his second and third PET scans delivered "more bad news", showing additional metastases and enlarged tumours, leading to his introduction to palliative care, which felt "surreal".

He immersed himself in research and advocated for targeted therapies, which brought him to Enhertu, transforming his outlook on life.

He ultimately had to abandon work, but he and Rachel began a bucket list, visiting restaurants, cities and countries across the globe. "I asked for an SR1 form, which is a terminal illness form that says I've got a year left to live," he said.

"The form meant I could gain access to my ISAs and pension without being penalised for it. I just thought, well, if I'm potentially going to die, I want to have fun while I'm well enough to have fun. So we started doing a bit of travelling, and I've since been to some of the best restaurants in the world, such as El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, which was incredible, and the amazing Row on 5 on Savile Row."

Despite enduring "brutal" side effects from Enhertu, including severe constipation and diarrhoea, burning neuropathy across his body, bleeding and ulceration of his nostrils and mouth, he said "things have started to turn around". He revealed that the tumours in his chest had shrunk by 30% to 40% after three rounds of Enhertu treatment, and he had "no more metastases on (his) spine".

After six treatments, he discovered there was "no metabolic sign of cancer" in his body. Mat will continue with his treatment but is now planning some trips with Rachel, who he is set to wed in February next year, and he said he has a renewed "appreciation for the small things" in life.

Mat expressed gratitude for the immense support from his family and friends, as well as the Men's VMU – a support group dedicated to men diagnosed with breast cancer – which recently marked its fifth anniversary. He encourages other men to check their bodies, advocate for themselves, maintain positivity, and hopes for more treatments to become available to treat breast cancer soon.

"The word 'breast' is always seen as a female word, but men have breast tissue," he pointed out. "It's about making people understand that men get breast cancer and demystifying it for people."

Speaking about the Men's VMU, Mat added: "It makes such a difference having people there who have been and gone through, or are going through, what you are, and learning from their experiences. It makes the world feel a little less lonely."

Ross McLean, consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, stated: "While breast cancer in men is rare, they are at a 65% higher risk of having distant disease at presentation compared to women – 11.5% versus 6.9%.

"Unfortunately the late diagnosis is often due to a lack of awareness and delayed presentation. Mathew's story is a powerful and timely reminder of this reality. It is therefore incredibly heartening to see that, despite his advanced diagnosis, Mathew has taken such a proactive approach – researching his condition and most importantly connecting with the Men's VMU.

"The Men's VMU's peer support is invaluable, providing a crucial lifeline both emotionally and mentally. His positive attitude in the face of such aggressive treatment is truly inspirational."

To find out more about the Men’s VMU, visit: w ww.themensvmu.org.