Beyoncé's Father, Matthew Knowles, Opens Up About His Battle With Breast Cancer

Neha Prakash

On Wednesday, Matthew Knowles, father and former manager of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, revealed on Good Morning America that he is a survivor of breast cancer.

Knowles, 67, spoke with host Michael Strahan about the diagnosis, explaining that he underwent surgery after a telling mammogram. He also explained he has the BRCA2 gene mutation, meaning he is also at a higher risk for several other types of cancer, which for men includes prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma.

"The rest of my life I have to be very much aware and conscious and do all of the early detection... constant mammograms, constant prostate exams, constant MRIs, for the rest of my life," Knowles said. "Things that used to be important, Michael, are not important to me now. [I] just look at the world differently."

His announcement comes at the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year 245,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women and 2,200 in men in the United States. But the lower rate of cases for men could be due to fewer men getting screened for cancer — a point Knowles hopes to change by coming forward about his diagnosis.

"I learned that the numbers that we have for men on breast cancer are not adequate because we don't have enough men that come forward that take the exam," he said. "I'm hoping by me coming here today, speaking out, letting folks know that you can survive this, but it has to be early detection. I can't overemphasize the word 'early.'"

He also explained how the diagnosis impacted his family, saying that because the BRCA2 gene mutation is hereditary his kids and grandkids are at a "higher risk" of breast cancer.

"They handled it like they should. They went and got the test," Knowles said.

For her part, Beyoncé has not yet made a comment about her father's health.

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Originally Appeared on Allure