Superior vena cava syndrome

Abstract

Cutaneous signs of superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) are numerous including dilated and tortuous veins vertically orientated on thorax wall, upper extremity and trunk swelling with cyanotic or reddish skin, dilated venous branches of neck and conjunctival sufussion. When these features are present, we must exclude malignancy or metastasic intrathoracic carcinoma. We report two patients whose cutaneous lesions were the first sign of an underlying malignancy which caused a superior vena cava syndrome.