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

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.