Superior Vena Cava Obstruction

Key points

• Oncological emergency; most commonly lung cancer (NSCLC, lymphoma; also metastatic seminoma, Kaposi's, breast).
• Features: dyspnoea (commonest) · face/neck/arm swelling · morning headache · visual disturbance · pulseless JVD.
• Non-malignant: aortic aneurysm · mediastinal fibrosis · goitre · SVC thrombosis.
• General: dexamethasone, balloon venoplasty, stenting.
• Small cell → chemotherapy + radiotherapy; non-small cell → radiotherapy.

Decision points in this pathway

• Tumour type?

The full step-by-step algorithm, including what to do at each branch, opens in the app for approved members.