2004 Volume 15 Issue 4 Pages 327-332
Six cases of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome secondary to malignant neoplasms were surgically treated during the past 19 years. Complete tumor resection that included vascular reconstruction was performed in 2 of the 3 cases of invasive thymoma, and incomplete resection plus a bypass operation was performed in the other case. A bypass operation alone was performed in the 1 case each of lung cancer and esophageal cancer because the lesions were unresectable, and stenting was performed in the 1 case of uterine cancer. The SVC syndrome improved postoperatively in 5 of the patients, but failed to improve in the other case because of early postoperative graft obstruction. The outcome of complete tumor resection plus vascular reconstruction and of the stent operation was favorable. Although the bypass operation improved the SVC syndrome, the outcome was unfavorable, and the patient died in the early postoperative period.
SVC syndrome caused by invasive thymoma is a good indication for surgery, whereas stenting, which is minimally invasive, appears to be the treatment of first choice when SVC syndrome is caused by other malignancies.
