As 2021 wraps up, the COVID-19 pandemic is coming to the end of its second full year. Experts have learned a lot about the virus since it first appeared in 2019. They also know more about how to protect the most vulnerable people from the worst effects of COVID-19.
The majority of people who contract COVID-19 only have mild to moderate symptoms. They get better without needing to go to the hospital. For people with weakened immune systems, like cancer patients and survivors, COVID-19 can be a major medical crisis.
Immune System Issues
If you're currently in treatment for breast cancer, or another type of cancer, your immune system may not be at full strength. Many types of chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy can weaken the immune system. This means you will be less able to fight off infections, including viral illnesses like COVID-19.
Your immune system slowly returns to normal after treatment, but this can take several months. If you're currently getting or recently finished breast cancer treatment, talk to your doctor about your COVID-19 risk. They may suggest taking extra precautions to avoid exposure to the virus, such as wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, and maintaining social distance.
COVID-19 Vaccines and Breast Cancer
The most effective tool to protect against COVID-19 is vaccination. There are currently three types of vaccines available to adults in the U.S., and doctors recommend them for many people who have cancer. All of them are effective at reducing the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19. It's still possible to catch COVID-19 after a vaccine, but the disease tends to be much less severe.
A small recent study found that people who currently have solid tumor cancers like breast cancer have a good immune response after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This means that patients with current cancer will have some protective effects from the vaccine. There is ongoing research into how effective vaccines are for cancer patients.
COVID-19 Vaccines and Mammograms
Doctors have one warning about the COVID-19 vaccine and breast cancer screenings: The vaccine can affect your mammogram. This shot won't give you breast cancer, but it can cause swelling in the lymph nodes in the breast. This swelling will be visible on a mammogram, and you might need follow-up screenings to make sure nothing is wrong.
Talk to your doctor about the timing of your mammogram and your COVID-19 vaccine. You may want to schedule your mammogram before you get a vaccine to avoid a questionable mammogram result. If you recently got a vaccine, you might want to delay your mammogram or let your doctor know that you recently got vaccinated.
