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Updated: Nov 23, 2025

A Novel Method: Super-selective Adrenal Venous Sampling
Published on: September 15, 2017
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome Due to Thymic Carcinoma
Jefferson Fabian Nieves Condoy1, Luis Abraham Zúñiga Vázquez2, Erick Martín Páez Hernández3
1Surgery, Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad del Bajío, Leon, MEX.
Abstract:
The superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is caused by a mechanical obstruction; 90% are of neoplasic etiology (lung cancer (LC) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) mostly), epithelial neoplasms of the thymus (NET) is a rare cause, thymic carcinoma (TC) causing less than 1% of cases. A 56-year-old male presented with a four-month history of dyspnea, dysphonia, facial and cervical edema and bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. The tomography showed bilateral, mediastinal, retroperitoneal lymphadenopathies, and obstruction of the internal jugular vein, right apical pulmonary nodules. A superficial adenopathy biopsy was taken, which is not conclusive, so it was decided to take an image-guided biopsy. During its evolution, it presents asymptomatic cardiovascular changes; in extension studies, systemic disease is evidenced. The definitive histopathological study reported thymic carcinoma. Systemic treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy was planned.
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