Former NSW premier Nick Greiner has revealed that he had his left breast removed in an effort to fight breast cancer.

The 67-year-old had the mastectomy – an extremely rare procedure for men – earlier this month after a bleeding nipple lead to his diagnosis.

Mr Greiner reportedly first noticed a “tiny red dot” on his shirt in May last year and a couple of months later had it checked out by a doctor.

The doctor recommended Mr Greiner have a mammogram because a bleeding nipple could be a sign of breast cancer.

After waiting several months, Mr Greiner early this year had a mammogram and he was then sent for a biopsy, which revealed cancer.

The AFR reports that Mr Greiner underwent the mastectomy at St Vincents Private Hospital in Sydney on April 7.

Since the operation Mr Greiner has been cancer-free and back at work, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

“I think it helped by telling my family and, when I knew I was going to have surgery, telling others,” Mr Greiner told the Australian Financial Review.

Only about 125 cases of male breast cancer are reported in Australia each year and the survival rate is high.

Mr Greiner was the premier of NSW from 1988 to 1992.

–with AAP