Lidocaine Gel May Ease Mammography Discomfort

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However, Dr. Julia Smith, director of the Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Program at the New York University Lynne Cohen Breast Cancer Preventive Care Program, pointed out that the lidocaine didn't make a dramatic difference. She said that although women reported less discomfort with the lidocaine gel, they didn't report significantly higher satisfaction.

"What this study does highlight is that women shouldn't have to undergo this kind of pain. We should have an improvement in technology. Mammograms are unpleasant, and it's going to take more than giving people Tylenol; we need better technology," Smith said.

Smith also expressed concern that the gel might affect the quality of the mammogram, and that no large-scale study has been done to assess whether or not such a gel could interfere with image quality.

Lambertz said they found no difference in image quality for the women they studied.

What's most important, Lambertz said, is that women feel empowered. "We know that breast tenderness, anxiety and expectation of discomfort are all directly correlated with the amount of discomfort that women experience during their mammogram. Women can take measures to reduce breast tenderness -- pick a time for their mammogram when they expect their breast tenderness to be lowest, and apply the lidocaine gel one hour before their mammogram. They can then feel more confident that they will have a good experience and hopefully undergo more regular screening," she said.

Smith added that if you're very anxious about the test, you should let your doctor know so that you can discuss ways to ease your concerns.

The study was not funded by any pharmaceutical manufacturers.

More information

To learn more about mammography, visit the American Cancer Society.