What does SVC syndrome feel like?
Dyspnea is the most common symptom, observed in 63% of patients with SVCS. Other symptoms include facial swelling, head fullness, cough, arm swelling, chest pain, dysphagia, orthopnea, distorted vision, hoarseness, stridor, headache, nasal stuffiness, nausea, pleural effusions, and light-headedness.
What is the most common symptom of patients with superior vena cava syndrome?
The most common symptoms of SVCS include: Swelling of your face, neck, upper body, and arms. Trouble breathing or shortness of breath. Coughing.
How do you rule out SVC syndrome?
A CT scan of the chest is the initial test of choice to determine whether an obstruction is being caused by external compression or a thrombosis. Diagnosis of SVC thrombosis by CT includes lack of SVC enhancement; intraluminal filling defects or narrowing; and visualization of the collateral vessels.
How Long Can You Live With SVC syndrome?
The average life expectancy for patients who present with malignancy-related SVC syndrome is 6 months, although the prognosis is quite variable depending on the type of malignancy. SVC obstruction in patients with NSCLC portends a particularly poor prognosis.
Who is at risk for superior vena cava syndrome?
Malignant causes of SVCS are predominantly observed in individuals aged 40-60 years. Benign causes account for most of the cases diagnosed in individuals aged 30-40 years. Obstruction of the SVC in the pediatric age group is rare and has a different etiologic spectrum.
How common is SVC syndrome?
Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome occurs in approximately 15,000 people in the United States each year (1). The syndrome was originally described as being secondary to an infection, such as tuberculosis, or a syphilitic aortic aneurysm (2–4).
Does superior vena cava syndrome go away?
In most cases, symptoms of superior vena cava syndrome are greatly improved within 1 month of treatment. However, because cancer causes the majority of cases, the general outlook depends heavily on the type and stage of cancer present.
How do you test for superior vena cava syndrome?
How is superior vena cava syndrome diagnosed?
- Chest X-ray.
- CT scan of the chest.
- X-ray imaging of the veins (venography)
- MRI.
- Ultrasound.
How common is superior vena cava syndrome?