[Superior vena cava syndrome in microcytic carcinoma of the lung: incidence, treatment response and prognostic importance].

The incidence, response to chemotherapy treatment and prognostic value in the prediction of the Superior Cave vein syndrome (SVCS) surveillance were retrospectively studied in a group of 125 patients presenting microcytic pulmonary carcinoma. We found SVCS in 20 cases (16% of the total group of patients), there were no statistically significant differences between the limited or diseminated stages. All patients were initially treated with polychemotherapy. The efficacy of this treatment to eliminate the symptoms of SVCS could be evaluated in 17 cases while in the other 3 cases that was not possible give the early or toxic death of the patients. Fourteen out of the 17 patients with evaluable SVCS (82%) achieved a complete remission of the syndrome with chemotherapy which parallel with the achievement of a partial or complete response of the primary tumor and its metastasis. The SVCS only reappeared in one case at the moment of tumor recurrence. The remission of symptoms was quickly initiated after treatment and was completed in most cases one week after treatment was started. An statistically significant difference was not observed between the surveillance of patients who presented SVCS at time of diagnosis and those who did not. Given that both groups were balanced with regard to the rest of the prognostic factors (the disease stage, Karnofsky's index, sex, or treatment) the SVCS does not constitute a pejorative prognostic factor in the prediction of surveillance in microcytic pulmonary carcinoma.