SALISBURY TWP., Pa. - An increasing number of women going for their annual mammogram are showing signs of inflammation these days.
Doctors now believe the COVID-19 vaccine has something to do with it.
Dr. Lori Alfonse with Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute says over the past few months doctors have seen more women with inflammation showing up on a mammogram during their regular screening.
“We’re seeing an increase in lymph node prominence, particularly under the armpit what we call the axilla. Sometimes along the chest wall, and sometimes above the clavicle,” Alfonse says.
That’s because the COVID vaccine is designed to trigger an immune response, she says.
“If you are asymptomatic, you're not having any problems, you're just going for your regular yearly screening mammogram, we definitely suggest that you get that mammogram four to six weeks after your second vaccine dose,” Alfonse says.
The key is that women experiencing any symptoms of breast cancer, including a palpable mass, visible abnormality should come in right away for diagnostic imaging, she says. Women who have had cancer and notice a change should also seek immediate medical attention.