Should I reschedule my mammogram if I recently received the COVID-19 vaccine?

Answer From Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.

Not necessarily. There's concern that side effects from the vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could be mistaken for breast cancer on a mammogram. But that doesn't mean you should cancel your mammogram if you've received your vaccine. Instead, contact the facility where your mammogram is scheduled to ask for guidance.

The vaccine that prevents COVID-19 can cause swollen lymph nodes under the arm in which the shot was given. Your lymph nodes are part of your body's germ-fighting immune system. The swelling in the lymph nodes is a sign that your body is responding to the vaccine and building up defenses against the virus that causes COVID-19.

Breast cancer also can cause swelling in the armpit if cancer cells spread to the lymph nodes.

Some doctors are concerned that having a mammogram soon after vaccination may cause unnecessary worry about swollen lymph nodes. For that reason, some have recommended waiting four to six weeks after your final vaccine dose before having a mammogram. That way, any lymph node swelling caused by the vaccine has time to go away.

Others, including Mayo Clinic, recommend that mammograms continue as scheduled. But be sure to tell your doctor about your vaccination, the date it occurred and which arm was affected. This information will be helpful for understanding the mammogram images.

If lymph node swelling is found on your mammogram and you've recently received the COVID-19 vaccine, the doctor who interprets your mammogram images (radiologist) will consider this when recommending whether additional imaging or follow-up is needed.

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April 27, 2023 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Atypical hyperplasia of the breast
  2. Breast cancer
  3. Breast Cancer
  4. Breast cancer chemoprevention
  5. Breast Cancer Education Tool
  6. Common questions about breast cancer treatment
  7. Infographic: Breast Cancer Risk
  8. Breast cancer staging
  9. Breast cancer types
  10. Breast cysts
  11. Breast pain
  12. Dense breast tissue
  13. Dragon Boats and Breast Cancer
  14. Enlarged breasts in men (gynecomastia)
  15. Fibroadenoma
  16. Fibrocystic breasts
  17. Galactorrhea
  18. Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer
  19. Genetic testing for breast cancer: Psychological and social impact
  20. HER2-positive breast cancer: What is it?
  21. Hypercalcemia
  22. Inflammatory breast cancer
  23. Invasive lobular carcinoma
  24. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
  25. Male breast cancer
  26. Mammary duct ectasia
  27. Mammogram
  28. Mammogram guidelines: What are they?
  29. Mastitis
  30. What is breast cancer? An expert explains
  31. Paget's disease of the breast
  32. Paulas story A team approach to battling breast cancer
  33. Pink Sisters
  34. Recurrent breast cancer
  35. The Long Race Beating Cancer
  36. Thyroid guard: Do I need one during a mammogram?
  37. Mammogram for breast cancer — What to expect
  38. Weight Loss After Breast Cancer