TUESDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- There's just no getting around the fact that mammograms are uncomfortable, but a new study suggests that applying a topical analgesic before the test could significantly ease the discomfort associated with the test.
And a test that's less painful may encourage more women to get screened, the researchers suggest.
"Mammography saves lives, and we would like women to know that if they're delaying or avoiding mammograms because they expect higher discomfort, they should try this product and see if it can become a better experience. It makes mammograms much more tolerable," said study author Colleen Lambertz, a nurse practitioner in the radiation oncology department at St. Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute in Boise, Idaho.
Results of the study were in the July 22 online issue of Radiology, and were expected to be published in the journal's September print edition.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends women over 40 receive an annual mammogram, because breast cancer that's caught early is easier to treat, and potentially to cure. If breast cancer is discovered before it has spread to the lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent. If cancer isn't found until it has spread to other areas of the body, the five-year survival rate is just 27 percent, according to the ACS.
Despite its lifesaving potential, as many as one-half to two-thirds of women don't follow screening guidelines, according to the study. A big factor, said Lambertz, may be the pain and discomfort associated with the test.
In an attempt to make the procedure less painful, Lambertz and her colleagues recruited 418 women between the ages of 32 and 89 who expected mammography to be painful and unpleasant. This group was randomly divided to receive pre-mammography acetaminophen, ibuprofen, a topical 4 percent lidocaine gel, or an oral or topical placebo. The gel was applied to the breast and chest wall between 30 minutes and 65 minutes before the test.
Women who used the lidocaine preparation reported significantly less breast discomfort, according to the study.
