![]() ![]() (Cancer screenings that do not involve imaging, like Pap and prostate tests, do not need to be delayed. However, people should only postpone mammograms if this does not have a negative impact on their health, and Garver stresses that routine cancer screening is crucial to detect early disease. Swollen lymph nodes were reported as an occasional reaction for only the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, but the NCCN recommends that those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine delay their imaging, too, since data is still emerging. When swollen lymph nodes show up on mammograms, though, they can be considered signs of infection, inflammation or cancer. Temporary swelling of the lymph nodes is a normal side effect of various vaccines that can indicate the body is producing the necessary antibodies to defend itself against a virus. ![]() “We have started to see swollen lymph nodes on a small fraction of imaging tests that involve the armpit, including mammograms,” says Kimberly Garver, M.D., a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Radiology and the director of breast imaging at Michigan Medicine. The new guideline from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, of which the Rogel Cancer Center is a member, stems from a potential side effect of the COVID-19 vaccines: swollen lymph nodes. ![]() The foremost network of cancer centers in the United States is recommending that people wait to get certain imaging such as mammograms until four to six weeks after their final dose of their coronavirus vaccine - as long as the delay does not interfere with their health care. Even if you've had the vaccine recently and even if your radiologist ends up needing to sort through some swollen lymph nodes, it's worth getting those worries checked out.Pre-COVID, Katherine Klein, M.D., a clinical associate professor of radiology at Michigan Medicine, and former interventional radiology resident Alexandria Jo, M.D., review a mammogram image.Ĭredit: Scott C. However, if you have a specific concern about a change in your breasts, “don't wait,” Dr. The Society of Breast Imaging recommends scheduling your screening before your first dose or waiting four to six weeks after the second dose when possible. Edmonds suggests four weeks.) If, after that time, your lymph nodes still feel enlarged or painful, definitely get in touch.Īnd if you know you're going to be getting a COVID-19 vaccine, do your best to avoid scheduling your regular breast cancer screening too quickly after the shot because it could cause some confusion. Edmonds recommend giving the lymph nodes time to subside before you call your doctor. ![]() Edmonds says, it could even be taken as a reassuring sign that the vaccine is doing what it's supposed to! In this case, both Dr. If you've had the vaccine recently and notice your lymph nodes are swollen or tender on the same side of the body where you got your shot, there's a good chance the swelling is this normal side effect that will go away on its own. Edmonds, who recently authored a study in the American Journal of Roentgenology about how radiologists can best manage this situation. Any vaccine-related swelling should be gone by then, allowing practitioners to avoid potentially unnecessary biopsies, says Dr. So, for now, radiologists and breast cancer experts generally recommend that people in that situation-who know they've had the vaccine recently-come back for a follow-up ultrasound in a few weeks, Dr. “This is where the conundrum is for breast radiologists.” With just a mammogram, a radiologist may be able to see a swollen lymph node, but not with enough detail to determine whether or not a biopsy is necessary. In some cases, patients may not realize their lymph nodes are swollen after getting the vaccine until the issue is picked up in imaging, like a routine breast cancer screening, Dr. ![]()
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