Mathew Knowles on Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Plus: He Breaks News About Destiny’s Child

Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles is speaking out about his breast cancer revelation.

Mathew opened up to “Extra's” Billy Bush after going public with his diagnosis, explaining why he came forward. "This is much, much larger than we thought and that is why I wanted to speak up about it rather than hide it," he said. "Hopefully, I can save some lives. Hopefully, more men will come out and say that they have it.”

Knowles says the cause is a gene. “It's called BRCA2 for men, BRCA1 for women. We all have these two genes. Some of us, our gene is mutated. Mine were mutated.” He said he is also at greater risk for prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and skin cancer.

Acknowledging that he is lucky, the music executive said, “I did dodge a bullet. I dodged a bullet because I had an exceptional physician… also because I did 20 years of diagnostic imaging.”

He just got the results from his prostate exam, saying, “It was a great bill of health. However, I'm still doing a biopsy.” Mathew went on to explain he is part of a research study and learned that prostate cancer runs in his family. "It's about understanding genetics.”

Asked how he told his daughters Beyoncé and Solange about his cancer, he said, "I just simply gave them a call.”

What does his health mean for theirs? “Well, it certainly increases their risk," he said. "It increases my granddaughters' and grandsons' risks… and, fortunately for both Beyoncé and Solange, they are getting this BRCA test and having the awareness.”

Mathew said he is back to work, and broke some news, revealing that “2020 is the year of Destiny's Child.”

The 67-year-old shared, “We do have new Destiny's Child unreleased material that's coming out, a book, 'Destiny's Child: The Untold Story,' as well as a musical coming out top of the year.”