Unexpected cause of superior vena cava syndrome

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) may be caused by an extrinsecal vessel compressing or by thrombosis. Symptoms are edema of the face and arms and development of swollen collateral veins on the front of the chest wall, shortness of breath, coughing, headache and stridor. Bronchogenic carcinoma, Burkitt’s lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphomas, pre-T-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemi, and other acute leukemia are the main cause of SVCS (1).