The COVID-19 Vaccine and Mammogram Screenings
Lillie Shockney
Co-Founder, AONN+ Co- Developer, Johns Hopkins Work Stride-- Managing Cancer at Work at JH Healthcare Solutions
When it comes to screening for cancer, there is generally not a lot of concern about these tests and when a patient might be receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. The only exception is for patients coming in for a mammogram.
The COVID-19 vaccine will trigger the antibody process and the immune system of the patient after they receive the shot. This can cause the lymph nodes to temporarily enlarge and even be tender, especially on the arm where the vaccine was injected. If a patient were to get a mammogram after receiving either the first or second shot, the axillary lymph nodes might look abnormal in the upper outer quadrant of the breast.
If you work in breast cancer or breast imaging, it is extremely important to know and share this information with your patients and colleagues. Recommend to your patients to schedule their annual mammogram screening at least 4 to 6 weeks after their second COVID-19 vaccine has been given.
For more resources to assist in the management of patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit the AONN+ COVID-19 Navigator Toolkit.
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