Superior vena cava syndrome causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Superior vena cava syndrome may be caused by obstruction of the superior vena cava (SVC) by neoplastic invasion of the venous wall associated with intravascular thrombosis, enlarged nodes, enlarged ascending aorta, or more simply, by extrinsic pressure of a tumor mass against the thin-walled superior vena cava (SVC).

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	No underlying causes
Chemical / poisoning	No underlying causes
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	No underlying causes
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	No underlying causes
Environmental	No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic	No underlying causes
Genetic	No underlying causes
Hematologic	No underlying causes
Iatrogenic	No underlying causes
Infectious Disease	No underlying causes
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	No underlying causes
Neurologic	No underlying causes
Nutritional / Metabolic	No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic	No underlying causes
Oncologic	No underlying causes
Opthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose / Toxicity	No underlying causes
Psychiatric	No underlying causes
Pulmonary	No underlying causes
Renal / Electrolyte	No underlying causes
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	No underlying causes
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	No underlying causes
Urologic	No underlying causes
Dental	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	No underlying causes

Cancerous Causes

The types of cancer that can lead to this condition include:

• Breast cancer
• Lymphoma
• Metastatic lung cancer (lung cancer that spreads)
  • Small cell bronchogenic carcinoma (most common cause)
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung
  • Adenocarcinoma of the lung
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Large cell carcinoma of the lung
• Testicular cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Thymic tumors

Non-cancerous Causes

Superior vena cava obstruction can also be caused by noncancerous conditions that cause scarring. These conditions include:

• Histoplasmosis infection
• Inflammation of a vein (thrombophlebitis)
• Lung infections (such as tuberculosis)

Other causes of superior vena cava obstruction include:

• Aortic aneurysm
• Blood clots in the superior vena cava
• Constrictive pericarditis
• Enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter)
• Catheters placed in the large veins of the upper arm and neck may cause blood clots in the superior vena cava.