National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Cronkhite-Canada disease



Other Names:
Polyposis skin pigmentation alopecia fingernail changes
Categories:

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome is a rare gastrointestinal disorder characterized by widespread colon polyps, unhealthy looking (dystrophic) nails, hair loss (alopecia), darkening skin (such as on the hands, arms, neck and face), diarrhea, weight loss, stomach pain, and/or excess fluid accumulation in arms and legs (peripheral edema). The cause of the condition is not known. Treatment aims to control symptoms and provide adequate nutrition.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 5/31/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 46 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Diarrhea
Watery stool
0002014
Dystrophic fingernails
Poor fingernail formation
0008391
Dystrophic toenail
Poor toenail formation
0001810
Generalized hyperpigmentation 0007440
Hamartomatous polyposis 0004390
Hypoplastic toenails
Underdeveloped toenails
0001800
Intestinal polyposis 0200008
Malabsorption
Intestinal malabsorption
0002024
Patchy alopecia
Patchy baldness
0002232
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abdominal pain
Pain in stomach
Stomach pain
[ more ]
0002027
Anemia
Low number of red blood cells or hemoglobin
0001903
Anorexia 0002039
Aplasia/Hypoplasia of the eyebrow
Absence of eyebrow
Lack of eyebrow
Missing eyebrow
[ more ]
0100840
Cachexia
Wasting syndrome
0004326
Fatigue
Tired
Tiredness
[ more ]
0012378
Lymphedema
Swelling caused by excess lymph fluid under skin
0001004
Sparse body hair 0002231
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Cataract
Clouding of the lens of the eye
Cloudy lens
[ more ]
0000518
Colon cancer 0003003
Decreased taste sensation
Decreased taste
0000224
Furrowed tongue
Grooved tongue
0000221
Gastrointestinal carcinoma 0002672
Hepatomegaly
Enlarged liver
0002240
Macrocephaly
Increased size of skull
Large head
Large head circumference
[ more ]
0000256
Seizure 0001250
Splenomegaly
Increased spleen size
0001744
Stomach cancer 0012126
Tapered finger
Tapered fingertips
Tapering fingers
[ more ]
0001182
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Alopecia
Hair loss
0001596
Clubbing
Clubbing of fingers and toes
0001217
Clubbing of fingers
Clubbed fingers
Clubbing (hands)
Finger clubbing
[ more ]
0100759
Glossitis
Inflammation of the tongue
Smooth swollen tongue
[ more ]
0000206
Hematochezia
Rectal bleeding
0002573
Hyperpigmentation of the skin
Patchy darkened skin
0000953
Hypocalcemia
Low blood calcium levels
0002901
Hypokalemia
Low blood potassium levels
0002900
Hypomagnesemia
Low blood magnesium levels
0002917
Muscle weakness
Muscular weakness
0001324
Nail dysplasia
Atypical nail growth
0002164
Nail dystrophy
Poor nail formation
0008404
Paresthesia
Pins and needles feeling
Tingling
[ more ]
0003401
Protein-losing enteropathy 0002243
Sporadic
No previous family history
0003745
Thromboembolism 0001907
Vomiting
Throwing up
0002013
Xerostomia
Dry mouth
Dry mouth syndrome
Reduced salivation
[ more ]
0000217
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Differential diagnosis includes familial adenomatous polyposis, hyperplastic polyposis syndrome, cap polyposis, juvenile polyposis syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and Cowden syndrome (see these terms), as well as lipomatous polyposis, inflammatory polyposis and lymphomatous polyposis.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Organizations Providing General Support


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Cronkhite-Canada disease. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles


Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Kao KT, Patel JK, Pampati V. Gastroenterol Res Pract. Epub 2009 Aug 25; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2732131/?tool=pubmed. Accessed 5/31/2015.
  2. Serwin AB. Cronkhite-Canada syndrome. eMedicine. October 23, 2014; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1096789-overview. Accessed 5/31/2015.
  3. Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). 2005; http://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/cronkhite-canada-syndrome/. Accessed 5/31/2015.