superior vena cava syndrme - Cancer: Lung Message Board

serinity · 09-27-2005, 01:09 PM

DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SUPERIOR VENA CAVA?
MY MOTHER HAS LUNG CANCER(SMALL CELL)WICH METASTISIZED TO THE BRAIN SHES BEEN THROUGH EVERYTHING AND MORE AND NOW THE DOCTOR THINKS HER FACIAL SWELLING COULD BE DUE TO A LYMPH NODE PRESSING ON A BLOOD VESSEL WHICH COULD BE SUPERIOR VENA CAVA
I WAS JUST HOPING SOMEONE MAYBE KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT IT
THANKS

sorrel2 · 09-27-2005, 01:18 PM

I have heard of it. I didn't know a lymph node could cause it though, I thought it was usually a large tumor. The superior vena cava is the large vein that drains blood from the face, arms and upper back/chest. It is easily compressed by tumors in the chest area. This causes swelling of the face, neck, arms etc and sometimes reddish or purple discoloration. I would think if some mass is large enough to be causing this, then it would be visible on an xray or other imaging test. Has she had a recent chest xray that shows anything that could be compressing the SVC?

serinity · 09-27-2005, 03:44 PM

Im sorry, I said it was a lymph node,I meant to say tumor.I guess if it is a tumor then that would mean moms cancer has once more metastisized.(i hate cancer and the things it does to such awonderful person that definately doesnt deserve it)
My mom had a pet scan done a month ago because something new showed on her chest x ray.The results were it was probably infection.She was started on antibiotics.She also started having fullness in her ears and facial swelling so we went back to the doctor.(of course her regular doctor was out.)This doctor said her swelling was from a combination of whole brain radiation(which she had back in july)and contact dermatis so he gave us some steroid cream.It didnt get better so we went back today and now they want to do a ct on her to see if its a tumor pressing on the blood vessel.I asked him why didnt anything show up on the pet scan and he replied it may not have showed up.They scheduled her for next week to get the scan and I started thinking on the way home hey this could be a medical emergency so I called her nurse and she said I was right and she didnt know why he didnt want it asap.Anyways mom is going in tomorrow for her scan.

sorrel2 · 09-27-2005, 04:40 PM

Good luck with her CT scan tomorrow. I wish you the best.

That is odd that it did not show up on the PET scan...

Karen44 · 09-27-2005, 05:50 PM

Serinity
By all means this is an emergency,my hubby had the same and can be fatal if the tumor is not shrunk immediately.
There are web sites that will tell you all about this.
My hubby has SCLC also and when his started he had venous distension on his chest(which looked like a hundred spider veins),swelling of his face,swelling around his eyes and distention of his juglar vein in his neck.
Urge the Dr to take an agressive approach to this!!!
God Bless you I will pray for your mom.

Karen44