As more and more people are vaccinated against COVID-19, more potential side effects have emerged. One of them is swollen lymph nodes, and while this is what was expected when an immune response was triggered, it’s exactly what you don’t want to see when breast cancer is detected.
Dr. Jessica Burgers, a breast surgeon specializing in hematologic oncology at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, knows exactly what to look for when cancer is detected.
“One of the things that poses a risk to lymph node cancer is whether the lymph nodes appear to be swollen or enlarged,” Burgers told CBS Miami.
But many people may experience swollen or enlarged lymph nodes these days because they are a common side effect of the COVID vaccine.
Dr. Burgers noticed it first hand after the vaccine.
“It wasn’t until the second shot that I really experienced a side effect that we are becoming more aware of where I had any inflammation or pain in the armpit area, or what in the medical field we call the armpit,” he recalled. .
She says it is a normal response to a vaccine because the lymphatic system houses immune cells and the purpose 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 had a recent vaccine,” he said.
It is a problem that is increasingly appearing in their own practice and can lead to an increase in false positives.
“I’d say we get reports about once a week, so he asks me that when I call my patients with their imaging results, one of the first questions I ask myself is ‘Did you get the vaccine?'”
Dr. Burgers says that if you have recently been vaccinated and on the other hand you are healthy and have no breast problems, you should try to delay the mammogram a bit.
The Society of Breast Imaging recommends scheduling mammography before the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or four to six weeks after the second dose, if possible.
“That said, if a patient is working for a current breast complaint, this should not deter a woman from having a mammogram. Just make sure she allows the doctor and the facility’s technologists. of images that take into account who had the vaccine and which arm was used for vaccination. “
Dr. Burgers says that if the swelling is related to the vaccine, it should be resolved within two months. If not, you should definitely follow up with your healthcare provider.