Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, executive vice president of Texas Oncology, explains recommendations for annual mammography screenings after COVID-19 vaccination and why guidelines differ for diagnostic visits.
Because lymph nodes tend to swell, women should wait at least 6 weeks when scheduling a screening mammogram after COVID-19 vaccination; however, diagnostic visits for lumps should not wait, emphasized Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, executive vice president of Texas Oncology.
Transcript
Is there an optimal waiting period between COVID-19 vaccination or booster dosing and scheduling either a mammogram or an annual gynecological visit?
If someone has a screening mammogram—meaning that they don’t have any symptoms, but they’re just getting their routine annual screen—then, on average, they should probably wait about 6 weeks after they get a vaccination for coronavirus.
The reason for this is because sometimes when you get a vaccination, it can cause lymph nodes in the armpit or the axilla to become enlarged. There’s nothing wrong with them, it’s just a natural result of having a vaccination in your arm that is stimulating your immune system. Your lymph nodes are kind of doing what they’re supposed to be doing. They respond to it, and whenever we see that happen, which is common, it usually resolves after about 6 weeks. So we think if people are getting a screening mammogram, then they should probably wait about 6 weeks after COVID-19 vaccination.
That’s different, though, than women who are getting a diagnostic mammogram. If you have a mass in your breast, you should not delay in getting it worked up. And there’s really not an issue with cervical cancer screening and the timing of vaccination.
Navigating Sport-Related Neurospine Injuries, Surgery, and Managed Care
February 25th 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Arthur L. Jenkins III, MD, FACS, CEO of Jenkins NeuroSpine, to explore the intersection of advanced surgical care for sport-related neurospine injuries and managed care systems.
Listen
Advances in Gene Therapy, Neuroregeneration at the Forefront of MDA 2025
March 13th 2025Look ahead to this year's Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) meeting, which will feature discussions on the latest gene therapies, clinical trial data, policy considerations, and more in the realm of neuromuscular disease.
Read More
Advancing HIV Care With Doravirine and Islatravir: Q&A With Amy Colson, MD, MPH
March 12th 2025New data from the MK-8591A-051 and MK-8591A-052 trials, both investigating the efficacy and safety of 100-mg doravirine and 0.25-mg islatravir as a once-daily 2-drug regimen for virologically suppressed people living with HIV-1, were presented today by Amy Colson, MD, MPH.
Read More