As more and more people are vaccinated against COVID-19, more potential side effects arise. One is swollen lymph nodes, and while this is what you would expect when an immune response is triggered, it is exactly what you do not want to see when screening for breast cancer.
Dr. Jessica Burgers, a breast surgeon specializing in oncology hematology at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, knows exactly what to look for when screening for cancer.
“One of the things that indicates cancer in the lymph nodes is whether the lymph nodes are swollen or enlarged,” Burgers explained to CBS Miami.
But many people may be experiencing swollen or enlarged lymph nodes today because they are a common side effect of the COVID vaccine.
Dr. Burgers realized it first hand after she was vaccinated.
“It was only on the second injection that I really experienced a side effect that we are becoming more aware of where I had some swelling or pain in the armpit area, or what we in the medical field call the armpit,” she recalled.
She says it is a normal response to a vaccine because the lymphatic system is home to immune cells and the goal of the vaccine is to initiate an immune response. Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the armpit area, can also be a sign of breast cancer.
“But, radiographically, they can look very similar. So it can be alarming for a radiologist who is not aware of the context in which a patient received a recent vaccine,” she said.
It is a problem that appears more and more in your own clinic and can lead to an increase in false positives.
“I would say that we receive reports once a week and this is warning me that when I call my patients about their imaging results, one of the first questions I ask is ‘Did you get the vaccine?'”
Dr. Burgers says that if you have recently been vaccinated, you are healthy and you have no problems with your breasts, you should try to delay the mammogram a little.
The Society of Breast Imaging recommends scheduling your mammogram before your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or about four to six weeks after your second dose, if possible.
“That said, if a patient is being treated for a current breast complaint, it shouldn’t stop a woman from having her mammogram. She just needs to make sure she notifies the doctor and the technicians at the imaging center that she had the vaccine. and what arm was used for that vaccination. “
Dr. Burgers says that if the swelling is related to the vaccine, it should resolve within two months. If it doesn’t, you should definitely see your doctor.