Doctors recommend that patients schedule their mammogram before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, or clear out the two appointments, after some women have mistaken swollen lymph nodes as breast lumps.
These swollen lymph nodes, which are a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine, can also occur in mammograms and other forms of scans, experts say.
“There were some situations where the patient went for a mammogram and on the mammogram, there it was,” said Dr. Harold Burstein, a breast oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said.
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. Burstein is normally the size of a lima bean and is throughout the body, but Burstein found the most prominent lymph nodes.
Those under the armpits are likely to swell after vaccination because it is closest to the injection site. They may begin to swell a few days after vaccination and may last up to 12 weeks. In addition, the vaccine may not cause abnormalities in the breast itself, just below the armpit.
But health experts stress that this is completely normal, as increased inflammation indicates that antibodies are protecting the body against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“This is a normal immune response to a powerful vaccine,” Burstein said. “It’s to be expected. This is a popular consequence of the vaccine. ”
Other vaccines elicit a similar response, such as vaccinations for influenza and the human papillomavirus. Some experts speculate that this may happen more frequently because more people are being vaccinated against COVID-19 at the same time.
The two mRNA vaccines approved for the disease are very effective. They are known to cause other side effects such as low-grade fever, chills, headaches and fatigue.
It is possible that the powerful mRNA vaccines may cause higher swollen lymph nodes than other vaccines, as they appear to cause more side effects, says Dr. Jessica Leung, professor of diagnostic radiology and deputy chair of breast imaging at the University of Texas, Anderson, MD. Cancer Center.
“But with the non-mRNA vaccines (like Johnson & Johnson), it will be interesting and educational to see what happens,” she said.
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Although swollen lymph nodes can mimic a lump during a self-examination or mammogram, it is still important to get the COVID-19 vaccine and test for breast cancer, Leung said.
To avoid confusion, she recommends that you be screened before being vaccinated. If this is not possible, the MD tells Anderson Cancer Center guidelines to wait about four to six weeks after receiving the vaccine.
“Don’t wait too long after six weeks,” Leung said. If it is not possible to reschedule your mammogram, ‘you should get a mammogram, but let your suppliers know that you had the COVID vaccine in this arm on that date.’
Most providers can see the difference between a swollen lymph node and something worthwhile, 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 get a COVID-19 vaccine, as the supply is still limited. Therefore, they advise you to reschedule your vaccination appointment.
“(But) do not forget your mammogram with this, because cancer is still a big problem in this country and it is a test … that could possibly save a woman’s life from breast cancer,” Leung said.
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID vaccine: side effect mimics the sign of breast cancer in mammogram