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September 21, 2021-We have known for months that vaccines against COVID-19 can cause a reaction that can scare women away from breast cancer. But scientists and doctors say mammograms remain as important as ever.
But these changes are temporary and do not seem to be a cause for concern.
“The COVID vaccine creates an immune response in the body. It is quite possible that there is some swelling of the lymph nodes after the vaccine. These lymph nodes contain immune cells known as B cells, ”said Dr. Zeina Naleh, director of the Maroone Cancer Center at the Cleveland Weston Clinic.
“When they respond to vaccines, they generate antibodies and the accumulation of antibodies in the lymph nodes can cause an enlargement (of the breasts) of the lymph nodes.”
Advocates, oncologists and Nahleh recommend either having your screening mammogram before vaccination or waiting 1 to 2 months afterwards.
This way, you won’t be confused about whether your lymph nodes are actually enlarged or whether it’s just a side effect of the vaccine. If there is no emergency, postpone your mammogram 6-8 weeks after the vaccine, she says.
Other clinicians advise women to still have a mammogram, even if they have recently received the vaccine. Dr Randy Hicks, co-owner and CEO of Regional Medical Imaging in Michigan, says they have continued to check on thousands of women each year, including during a pandemic. They simply take into account all the potential side effects of the vaccine, noting whether patients have had the COVID vaccine and in which hand.
This minor observation explains the swollen lymph nodes in mammography.
Hicks also notes that new artificial intelligence technology can improve doctors’ accuracy in reading mammograms and reduce false positives and unnecessary callbacks for women.
If you have breast cancer, the coronavirus should not discourage you from treatment.
But it is important for breast cancer patients to be vaccinated, given that they have a chance of a weakened immune system.
The immune system is responsible for fighting the diseases that your body encounters on a daily basis. If compromised, it will not be as effective and this can lead to opportunistic infections.
“If you have lower immunity, you want to get a vaccine to help fight the virus in case it enters your body. The problem with it is that [the vaccine] It may not work as well in patients with a lowered immune system as in patients with normal immunity, ”says Hicks.
To help the vaccine work better in cancer patients, Hicks, along with the CDC, recommends that cancer patients be given a booster vaccine about 6 to 8 months after the second shot. This will help boost the immune system’s response to the virus.
Despite all this, it is normal for people to worry that they will get sick, which is why Hicks suggests doing the things you worry about instead of postponing them. He also tells patients to eat the right things, such as fruits and vegetables, get enough sleep and engage in outdoor activities.
“Maintaining healthy habits is the best way to deal with stress for any patient, not unhealthy habits,” says Nahleh.
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