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22 July 2008
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Over-the-counter gel can reduce breast screening discomfort
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MedWire News: Women can reduce the discomfort associated with breast screening by applying a readily available, over-the-counter anaesthetic gel to their breasts before undergoing the examination, say researchers.
"Mammography is the only screening tool proven to reduce mortality from breast cancer in women over 40," explained study researcher Dr James Maxwell, from St Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute in Boise, Idaho, USA.
"Annual screening is the most important option available to a woman to best ensure early detection and decrease the chance of being diagnosed with an advanced stage breast cancer."
However, he added that many women avoid attending mammography appointments because they fear experiencing discomfort and pain during the examination.
To investigate whether common over-the-counter medications can reduce discomfort associated with mammography, the researchers studied 418 women, aged between 32 and 89 years, who received paracetamol, ibuprofen, lidocaine gel, or dummy medications before undergoing breast screening.
More than half the participants reported that they had previously avoided mammography examinations due to concern over possible discomfort.
Analysis revealed that women who applied lidocaine gel to their breasts before undergoing breast screening experienced significantly less discomfort and pain than those who took the other medications.
"We designed this study around safe and available over-the-counter products in order to put women more in control, so they may have a more comfortable and satisfactory experience," said lead researcher Dr Colleen Lambertz, also from St Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute.
"We now have something that we know reduces discomfort with screening mammography in women who expect higher discomfort - lidocaine gel."
She concluded: "With a more positive experience, we hope women will undergo more regular mammography screening."
The research will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Radiology.
Radiology 2008: Not yet available online
http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/
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