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COVID and mammograms: Why you shouldn’t delay care
COVID-19 is not a reason to delay annual mammogram screening
The COVID-19 pandemic forced all other health care issues to take a back seat for many of us, and that’s completely understandable.
For months, we were locked in our homes, unsure of how to protect ourselves from an illness we knew very little about. Doctors and hospitals were focused on taking care of COVID patients, and many elective surgeries, office visits and screening tests were delayed.
Thankfully, the pause in care was short-lived, and within a few months, routine medical care and screening tests like mammograms resumed. Most patients returned to care, but not all.
Resuming breast cancer screening
Every year, October is the time to focus on breast cancer. But this year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has taken on a new meaning. The conversation has expanded to consider the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on breast cancer detection.
It’s an important topic because breast cancer is a disease that touches all of us. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Knowing your breast cancer risk and catching it early can make all the difference. Early detection leads to a more than 99 percent survival rate.
The good news is, for the most part, we’ve seen a return to normalcy in the number of monthly mammograms performed, which means most women are comfortable going back to the doctor to practice smart, safe, preventive care.
But some women have been thrown off by the pandemic. When I talk to my patients, I hear five common concerns that are causing women to delay their mammograms or even skip a year entirely. It’s time to put those fears to rest so that women can get back to having this potentially life-saving test.
1. I’m avoiding medical facilities because I’m afraid of getting COVID
I know I speak for all of my colleagues when I say that the safety of our patients is our highest priority. We are taking many steps to ensure cleanliness, prevent infection, and give you peace of mind. That includes carefully cleaning our equipment between patients, frequent handwashing, and requiring that all staff members and patients wear masks. Plus, here in New York, where I practice, all health care workers are required by state mandate to be vaccinated.
2. I'm worried about getting a mammogram after COVID vaccine
Rest assured that the COVID vaccine does not affect your breasts or cause breast cancer. Sometimes the vaccine can cause enlarged glands (or lymph nodes) under your arm. That’s a sign that the vaccine is doing its job. Radiologists can sometimes see those lymph nodes on your mammogram, but when we do, we know how to tell that it’s not a sign of breast cancer.
3. I’ve been juggling more than ever for the past year, with work, childcare, elderly parents, etc. Who has the time?
Many women are caretakers. But just like putting on your oxygen mask in an airplane first, women need to take care of themselves so that they will be able to take care of others. Having regular mammograms will help make sure that you will be healthy and available for the ones your love.
4. I’m confused about mammogram screening guidelines
The single best way to reduce your risk of dying from breast cancer is to have annual mammography starting at age 40. Mammograms find cancers when they are small and easiest to treat. Waiting a year could mean having a cancer that will need more aggressive surgery or chemotherapy.
5. I’m pregnant, thinking about getting pregnant, or breast feeding
Mammography is safe during pregnancy and breast feeding. There is no danger to the fetus. And in fact, because of hormonal stimulation, some breast cancers can grow quickly during pregnancy and infertility treatments, so it’s important to keep getting screened.
COVID-19 has impacted how we live for the last 18 months. But don’t let it keep you from the health care you need. If you haven’t done it yet, now is the time to return to care and focus on your health beyond COVID — so that you can live a healthy life long after this pandemic is just a memory.
Nina Vincoff, MD, is the chief of breast imaging at Northwell Health
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