Superior vena cava syndrome staging

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome Microchapters
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Maria Fernanda Villarreal, M.D. [2]

Overview

According to the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, there are 5 stages of superior vena cava syndrome based on the severity and incidence. Each stage is assigned a grade and a description that designate disease severity.

Staging

The table below summarizes the different stages of superior vena cava syndrome, categorizing them according to clinical severity.

Grade	Category	Incidence	Definition
0	Asymptomatic	10	Radiographic superior vena cava obstruction in the absence of symptoms.
1	Mild	25	Edema in head or neck (vascular distention), cyanosis, and plethora.
2	Moderate	50	Edema in head or neck with functional impairment (mild dysphagia, cough, mild or moderate impairment of head, jaw or eyelid movements, and visual disturbances caused by ocular edema).
3	Severe	10	Mild or moderate cerebral edema (headache and dizziness) or mild/moderate laryngeal edema or diminished cardiac reserve (syncope after bending).
4	Life-threatening	5	Significant cerebral edema (confusion and obtundation) or significant laryngeal edema (stridor) or significant hemodynamic compromise (syncope without precipitating factors, hypotension, and renal insufficiency).
5	Fatal	< 1	Death