Doctors recommend that patients schedule their mammogram before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, or stop the two visits, after some women mistake the swollen lymph nodes for breast nodules.
These swollen lymph nodes, which are a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine, can also appear on mammograms and other types of imaging tests, experts say.
“There were some situations in which the patient went for a mammogram and, on the mammogram, there she was,” said Dr. Harold Burstein, breast oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Lymph nodes are specialized tissues in the body’s immune system that contain white blood cells and help fight infections and diseases, according to the National Cancer Institute. They are usually the size of lima beans and are all over the body, Burstein said, but the most prominent lymph nodes are located in the armpits, neck and groin area.
Those located under the armpits are more likely to swell after vaccination because they are closer to the injection site. They can begin to swell a few days after vaccination and can last up to 12 weeks. In addition, the vaccine should not create abnormalities in the breast itself, only in the armpit.
But health experts emphasize that this is completely normal, as increased inflammation suggests that antibodies are working to protect the body from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“This is a normal immune response to a potent vaccine,” said Burstein. “It is to be expected. It is a well-desired consequence of the vaccine ”.
Other vaccines elicit a similar response, such as vaccines against influenza and human papillomavirus. Some experts speculate that this may be happening more often as more people are vaccinated against COVID-19 at the same time.
The two mRNA vaccines authorized for the disease are highly effective. They are known to cause other side effects, such as low fever, chills, headaches and fatigue.
It is possible that potent mRNA vaccines are causing swollen lymph nodes at a higher rate than other vaccines as they appear to cause more side effects, said Dr. Jessica Leung, professor of diagnostic radiology and vice president of imaging studies at the breast at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“But with vaccines without mRNA (like Johnson & Johnson), it will be interesting and educational to see what happens,” she said.
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Even though the swollen lymph nodes may simulate a worrying lump during a self-examination or mammogram, it is still important to get the COVID-19 vaccine and screen for breast cancer, Leung said.
To avoid confusion, she recommends screening before being vaccinated. If that is not possible, the MD Anderson Cancer Center guidelines say to wait about four to six weeks after receiving the vaccine.
“Don’t wait too long after six weeks,” said Leung. If it is not possible to reschedule your mammogram, “do your mammogram anyway, but inform your providers that (you) had the COVID vaccine in this arm, on this date”.
Most providers can tell the difference between a swollen lymph node and something that deserves concern, especially if they know that the patient has been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past few weeks.
Leung and Burstein know how difficult it is to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine, as the supply is still limited, so they advise not to reschedule your appointment to get vaccinated.
“(But) don’t forget your mammogram, even with that, because cancer is still a big problem in this country and this is a test … that can potentially save the life of a woman with breast cancer,” said Leung .
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
USA TODAY health and safety coverage is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Health. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial contributions.
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This article was originally published in USA TODAY: Vaccine COVID: side effect that mimics the sign of breast cancer on mammography