SVCO may recur as the disease progresses. There may be a role for long-term anticoagulation to prevent recurrence in patients with a reasonable life expectancy.
Any patient with cancer can develop hypercalcaemia but those with breast, lung, genitourinary, myeloma and lymphoma are the most at risk. The patient may NOT have any demonstrable bone metastases, as this condition is a para-neoplastic phenomenon.
It is not always appropriate to treat hypercalcaemia, as it may be a pre-terminal event. The decision to treat must be made on clinical grounds.
Diagnosis can only be made if a raised adjusted calcium backs the clinical suspicion.